Bloody Evolution
by Resolution
Summary: Sequel to Legends Scatter. Earth and Remnant are two worlds inexplicably linked by fate. After the events of years prior, Alex Greene, Ruby Rose, and their friends find themselves pulled into the line of fire once more. Rated T for violence and language.
1. Prologue

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

 **For those of you returning: make sure to read the prologue here, there have been a few changes.**

* * *

 _ **PROLOGUE**_

"Rotate all cannons to stern. Teach these Order bastards a lesson, Ensign."

"Aye, sir." The weapons operator nodded. Admiral Dietrich turned as he picked out the sound of the bridge door sliding open amidst the dull thudding of the EDC Dreadnaught, Maw of the Abyss', heavy cannons. A woman strode onto the control deck, she was surprisingly young for the station she held, only thirty-five, but Dietrich had nothing but respect for her.

"General Evans." the Admiral greeted her briefly before turning a majority of his attention back to the battle at hand. "What brings you up here?"

"Just came to see what was taking so long." She replied. "My troops and our friends in the hangar are itching for some action."

"We have to do this correctly. If we miss this chance, Agony will simply vanish to go build up his forces again."

"I know that. I've spent the last several months chasing him down, same as you." General Evans sighed. Even though the war with the Order had been officially declared finished for twelve years, many elements of the organization still drifted around Human-controlled space causing trouble and managing to recruit new members to their cause. They were, however, a shadow of their former power, something the female General was pleased with.

"I'll see if we can speed this up." Admiral Dietrich breathed. "Tell Blackwill to keep his shirt on, and I'll get him close enough to see some action in a jiffy."

"I'll be sure to pass on the message." Evans nodded. "I'll also let you get back to work."

"That would be much appreciated." he replied kindly, turning his full attention back to the battle unfolding out the bridge's windows. "I want a torpedo volley targeted at their Flagship, disable their hangars."

* * *

General Evans worked her way down the corridors of the Maw, occasionally feeling a slight shake as the five smaller Order ships exchanged fire with the sole EDC vessel that had tracked them down. She made a turn into one of the Dreadnaught's large hangars, where she quickly spotted two figures in snow-white armor, surrounded by a large audience of men and women in EDC olive and tan.

As she drew nearer, Evans also spotted the trio of children sitting on the floor while one of the people in white, the male of the two, recounted "epic tales" in an extravagant manner. Why the two Guardians had decided to bring their respective children along was not lost on Evans. All three of the children were recently awakened Bloodlines, and their parents thought it best to keep them close to protect and instruct them about their new powers.

The sole male child was the easiest to deal with from what the General had heard from the child's parent. Since his mother had been granted her Bloodline ability by the Reaper during the war, his ability was more stable than the long histories of the two other lines aboard the ship.

"Are we to begin soon, General?" the voice of the third, absent Bloodline sounded from behind Evans.

"Mr. Aedus." The officer curtly greeted Ignis. "Yes, we'll be heading out once the Admiral finishes getting us in position."

"Blackwill will be pleased." the Bloodline of Fire commented. "He's been complaining about 'not getting to stretch his legs' incessantly."

"He'll shut up once we get started." Evans nodded, walking towards the Guardian and his gathered audience. One of the two small girls turned her head to face the approaching General. Her hair and eyes matched her father's, who was gesturing and posing dramatically.

"Hi, Auntie Marcia!" she said loudly.

"Hello, Alexis." the General smiled, as she always did when she remembered who the girl was named after. "I'm sorry to interrupt your story, but I have to borrow your Daddy and other Auntie, okay?"

"Okay!" came the eight-year-old's happy reply. She got up from the metal floor of the hangar, and with some prompting from her father, led the other two children to the far end of the area, away from the adults.

"Evening, Marcia." The male Guardian greeted, his helmet in his hands.

"Jerloh." Evans nodded to the two figures in white, "Alyia."

"So, how long until we get started?"

"Not long."

"Good," Jerloh said, bobbing his head. "I've been getting fat sitting around on this ship. Can't be Lex's personal superhero if I put on too many pounds."

"Well, that should be resolved soon enough. Just get everything ready."

"I'm as ready as I can get, you and Aly made me keep the crows at home." He shrugged.

"Fine, then just-" Marcia began her friendly back-and-forth with Jerloh, when she was suddenly cut off by the ship's intercom.

" _HYPERSPACE_ _ANAMOLY DETECTED. ALL HANDS BRACE._ " The Dreadnaught began to shake violently. Her years of training and experience kicking in, Marcia managed to radio the bridge.

"Admiral, what's going on?"

"I- -n't kno- Ord- -ployed someth- -eing pulled in- -fereing with comms-" The garbled reply came in over her earpiece, interlaced with harsh static. A bright flash of light enveloped both the EDC Dreadnaught and their foe. When it was gone, the four mile-long vessel no longer had any opponents. "General, comms have cleared up, no enemy in sight." Silence. "General? General Evans, are you there?"

* * *

Marcia groaned and blinked as she lay on her back. It had been years since she had been this sore. She pushed herself into a sitting position off the grass- grass? She looked down at the vegetation she had suddenly found herself occupying. She looked around, finding herself alone aside from a pile of stray crates from the hangar.

"Status!" She yelled, hoping for a response as confusion threatened to overwhelm her.

"Present." Jerloh's voice answered. The General turned in time to see the Guardian push his way out of the pile of crates, his daughter held tightly in his arms. He must have run to grab her when the initial warning had sounded. "You alright, Marcie?"

"I'm fine." She answered. She pressed her earpiece, transmitting a message. "This is General Evans, any EDC or allied forces, respond." There were a few moments of silence before the radio crackled to life.

"Marcia, this is Alyia. I've found Ignis, but it doesn't look like anyone else is here."

"I'm with Jerloh and Lex. We're all fine."

"That's good to hear."

"Hey, Marcie?" the Terror Bloodline yelled from where he stood on a small rise. As the General joined him at the apex of the hill, she was greeted with the sight of an unfamiliar landscape. Jerloh covered his daughter's ears before he asked the next part of his question. "Where the hell are we?"


	2. Chapter 1

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 1**_

"So, Ruby, how was your day?" was the greeting the cloaked girl received upon entering through the door of her destination. The entrance to one of Beacon Academy's many testing rooms slid shut behind her with a hiss.

"Same as usual for the most part. Though I think Professor Port might have been working on his story-telling skills." Ruby replied as she set her bag down with a thump on the room's table. She looked around the room quickly, noticing that the targets and mats that she had grown accustomed to were still rolled up against the wall. "Hey, Luna? Where's Alex?"

"He said he had an errand to run, so he'd be a bit late." the young woman with midnight-blue hair replied from her seat across from where Ruby had deposited her bag. "Pyrrha and Jaune should be here soon."

"Ah, okay." the student nodded as she took a seat next to Luna. She silently looked around the room she had visited almost daily for so long, taking in the expansive accumulated history within. Numerous scuffs, scratches, and dents marred the metal walls, testament to Ruby and the others' occasional mistakes during training. Ruby sighed to herself. "One more year..."

"I'm pretty sure most students would be thrilled to graduate, what's with the downed look?" Luna asked, patting the younger girl on the back.

"It just hit me how I have only a single year left a Beacon... I'm going to miss all this..."

"Ruby, it's not like you can't come visit us to train or spend time together."

"Yeah, I know... but it won't be so often..."

"You're still a little girl deep down, huh?" Luna chuckled.

"Hey! I'm seventeen now!" Ruby shot playfully. The door hissed open behind the two girls.

"Sorry, Ruby, but that still technically makes you a kid." Alex said kindly as he entered the room. Jaune and Pyrrha following close behind him. Ruby stuck her tongue out at him. "Give me a few minutes to set everything up, then we'll get started." The other four occupants of the room nodded in affirmation. Jaune sat himself down across from Ruby, while Pyrrha offered Alex some help in preparing the targets and training mats.

"How'd your day go, Jaune?" Luna asked.

"If Professor Peach assigned any more essays, I'd drown in paper." He replied. Ruby zoned out of the conversation as her blond classmate bemoaned his workload. The small girl thought about how far she had come. Two-and-a half years ago, she'd stumbled across two men in unfamiliar armor in Forever Fall. That single meeting had set her on a hectic path involving another world, a shadowy organization called "the Order", and a wish-granting temple. Now, after all that, here she was, finishing up her third year at Beacon Academy for Huntsmen and Huntresses. She'd made a lot of friends along the way, even with some old enemies.

Ruby's thoughts were interrupted as the testing room entrance slid open again and another young woman entered, dressed in a simple red and gold dress and her long black hair trailing behind her. Her gold eyes flashed to the door, looking out for anybody following her.

"Evening, Cinder." Alex greeted, looking up from the mat he and Pyrrha were stretching out over the floor.

"Hide me, quickly." the once-terrifying woman demanded urgently. Before any of the occupants of the room could respond, she hid herself inside a locker along the wall. The door slid open once more, and an aging man with dark complexion stuck his head in.

"Good afternoon, everyone. You wouldn't have happened to see Cinder head this way, would you?" Barnes asked.

"Hi, Professor Barnes." Ruby said. "No, we haven't seen her."

"Ah, I'll keep looking then. Give me a shout if you do see her, or tell her to head on back to the office."

"Sure thing, General." Alex said, waving as the entrance once again hissed shut. Once the door was closed, Alex gently opened the locker Cinder was concealed in. "What was that about?"

"You can say what you want about Barnes," she answered, dusting herself off, "but the man is evil incarnate. If I see another sheet of paper, I'm going to vomit."

"You did volunteer for Barnes to teach you a command position instead of fieldwork." Alex pointed out. "It's essentially a desk job."

"Ugh. I just need a break from signing the damn things." Cinder seated herself between Jaune and Ruby at the table.

"You're going to have to do them eventually." Ruby pointed out.

"I know..." Cinder's forehead slapped onto the cool metal of the table with a sigh. Despite herself, Ruby found herself smiling. She might only have one more year of spending time like this, but she'd be sure to make the most of it.

* * *

Blake wiped sweat from her brow as she and her two favorite people admired their handiwork.

"Thank you, Mr. Averin. And you two as well, Miss Belladonna, Miss Firo." a Faunus shopkeeper bowed delightedly.

"Not a problem." the large man in front of Blake replied kindly. "It will hold until you can replace the window, at least."

"After seeing how nice it looks, I'm almost considering leaving it like that." the shopkeeper laughed. "Really, thanks for helping me with this."

"It wasn't any trouble." Firo smiled.

"Just let us know if you need anything else, or if someone tries to break in again, okay?" Blake said.

"Sure thing, not sure why anyone'd want to break into a bookstore in the first place, but I'll keep you in the loop." Dimitri's scroll beeped, alerting him to the time.

"Sorry, Woods, we have to catch the transport back to the Academy." the Russian informed the shopkeeper apologetically.

"Eh, no problem. You three have a nice evening." Blake and her two companions waved their farewells to the Faunus man, then proceeded down the streets of one of Vale's poorer neighborhoods, where Blake had grown up. Following the disappearance of the Lord of the Order known as Chaos, Dimitri, Firo, and Blake had spent most of their free time helping the impoverished people of Vale. The three had made a bit of a name for themselves, the Black Cat, the one-eared rabbit, and the Human with the weird accent.

Blake felt their actions were helping the relationship between Humans and Faunus, even if only a little. The once-dreary graffiti-covered buildings of the girl's youth had been washed clean for the most part. The weeds poking out from the cracks in the sidewalk had been pulled. Overall, it was a happier sight, one Blake was glad to be a part of.

* * *

"Is everything alright in Atlas?" Weiss asked from her seat in Beacon's communication tower.

"Well, it's been hectic, but nothing too serious has happened recently." Winter Schnee's image smiled at her sister from across the world.

"So the White Fang's been being quiet again?"

"For the time being, yes."

"I suppose that no news in good news in this case." Weiss sighed. "What have you been doing?"

"Aside from running the show here at the company, I've been teaching Anise to sing." Winter said happily. "She's so cute when-" the older Schnee's gushing was put to a halt as the sound of a door opening could be heard over the call.

"Ms. Schnee, I apologize for the interruption, but there are several documents the board wants you to look over and approve." the voice of Winter's secretary said.

"I'll review them later, I'm just making a call to my sister."

"Ah, I see. I'll leave you be, then." The thud of the office door closing sounded from out of sight.

"Sorry about that, Weiss."

"It's not a problem." the younger sister shook her head kindly. "So, how's Anise been, now that you mention it? Has she been adjusting to her power?"

"Charles has been teaching her to keep it in check, but even then, the worst she's done is send a few vases flying." Winter chuckled.

Weiss smiled as her sibling went into detail about what the little girl had been up to. In the back of her mind however, she let out a sigh. Despite the best efforts of Blake's friend, Adam, and the group he had taken, the White Fang was far from disbanded. While a majority of their forces had gone their separate ways, a decent number still held aggressive beliefs close to their chests.

Even though Weiss and Winter's father, Calder Schnee, had done many terrible things in his time, he hadn't deserved to be killed. The White Fang had trapped his car with a bomb, greatly wounding the Schnee patriarch. Weiss had flown back to Atlas to see him on his deathbed, where he had apologized to his daughters for being a horrible father to them. He had died a few days later.

Following that, Winter had taken over the Schnee Dust Company, and went to work cleaning up the massive company's act with zealous fervor. She had tracked down any smudge of corruption she could find, and then exterminated it with extreme prejudice. The public now looked at the SDC in a much more favorable light thanks to the older Schnee sister. However, it had also made her some enemies among the people who had benefited from running the organization through underhanded means.

"No one's tried anything, right?" Weiss asked worriedly, her eyes tracing the jagged scar barely visible along her sister's neck. Somebody had tried to assassinate Winter several months prior, and she had only survived thanks to Charles' quick reaction time.

"Not recently, no. But I have Charles, Anise, and General Ironwood looking out for me, so there's no need to worry." The sound of the office door creaking open could be heard once again. "Oh, speaking of which..." Winter gestured to the person who had just entered the room to come over to her side. There was a soft patter of small feet. Weiss saw the top of a head of dark hair cross beneath the camera. Winter pulled up a chair for the newcomer, who lifted themselves into the seat. Weiss smiled at the nine-year-old girl as she looked to the screen.

"Hi, Weiss!" the little girl waved.

"Hi, Anise."

* * *

"But, Ry~" Yang pleaded with the orange-haired engineer, her arms wrapped around him.

"What would you even do with itching powder filled- wait, never mind, just answered my own question." Ryland said.

"Please?" The door to the workshop opened, revealing Carbon, the pair's ex-Atlesian solider friend.

"Uh... Should I have knocked?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at the two younger individuals.

"Yang is asking for more power than any one person should have." Ryland informed him flatly. "Please free me."

"I just came to grab a tool, you're on your own, Kid." Carbon shrugged and obtained the item he had come for.

"Thanks, Carbon." Yang smiled.

"Sure thing. I'll let you two have your privacy." He stepped out and closed the door behind him.

"Traitor!" Ryland called after the older soldier. There was a moment of silence before Yang began laughing hysterically. Despite himself, the orange-haired boy joined in. This had been his life since he had arrived in Remnant. In between his work on various designs for weapons or machinery, Yang would come up with a random idea and ask him to make it. The joking exchanges where he would usually give in to the girl's demands had become something of a tradition at this point. He'd have had it no other way.

* * *

"Acolyte. Report." A man in ornate black armor, trimmed with red and gold, stood upon the bridge of a large ship, which currently floated above nothing but an expanse of water. His dark green eyes scanned the ocean beneath his feet. He ran a hand through the short red hair atop his head.

"At once, Lord Agony." the lower-ranked Order soldier quickly observed the information on the console in front of him. "Our five ships are all reporting in, no reports of missing personnel or extensive damage from our fight with the EDC."

"Where are we?"

"Unknown, my Lord. Our sensors have been unable to place our coordinates."

"That is troublesome. Ensure that the air outside is non-toxic, then order a scouting party to determine our location."

"Yes, my Lord. Anything else?"

"Call the other Lords to the flagship. I have need of their presence."

"Of course, right away."

"Greetings, my friends." Agony said as he entered the small conference room aboard his flagship.

"Have the scouts found out where we are yet?" Another man asked impatiently. Both of his arms and his right leg were complex-looking mechanical prosthetics. His head was completely concealed by a skull-like helmet.

"I am told they have yet to find land. Our coordinates also remain unknown according to the bridge crew.

"Perhaps they would work faster if I-" the other man growled before being silenced by a lift of Agony's hand.

"Peace, Carnage. We cannot afford to fight amongst ourselves at this time."

"Hmph."

"Was your device _supposed_ to do this? I assume not, but you have a tendency to not inform us of everything." A young woman spoke up from beside Carnage. She leaned back arrogantly in her chair, long, dyed dark blue hair pulled over her shoulder.

"Yes and no, Europa. It was meant to transport us, but to a precise location. It seems to have failed on the second account."

"Feh. Why am I not surprised?" She breathed irritably.

"Disrespect will not be permitted." Europa found herself at the point of a smooth stone spear, held in the hand of another Lord. A large man with a square jaw and sandy hair.

"Really, Golem?" The female Lord questioned, not moving from her position. "Didn't you know you enjoyed sucking Agony's di-" Europa was cut off as the final member of the room stepped between her and the other Lord without uttering a word. An unsettling air surrounded the masked individual.

"... Lord... Agony... says... no... fighting..." Came the female voice hidden within the bundle of cloth and metal that strongly resembled a straight-jacket.

"Thank you, Enigma." the High Lord requested placatingly. "Everyone, please seat yourselves. We must discuss what our plans are."

* * *

 _ **Barnes' Log: Auras and aura**_

 _"At your request, Ozpin, I've begun to compile a more comprehensive directory of the information you received from Alex. Cinder is quite upset that I have been unable to help with the paperwork while I've been working on this..."_

 _"Where to start... I guess with what you're familiar with, the people of Remnant. Each and every one of them has a field of energy around them called an aura (which I've set the recording to denote with a lower-case 'a') and each of them has a unique ability known as a semblance."_

 _"Now, back on Earth, this wasn't the case. Humanity was divided into a case of 'haves' and 'have-nots'. Approximately one in twenty to twenty-five people on Earth was designated as an 'Aura', (Denoted with an upper-case 'A'.) named for the haze of energy around them that could be seen under specific frequencies of light."_

 _"The Auras on Earth are also much easier to categorize than the semblances in Remnant. Every Aura has two abilities, a Primary and a Secondary. Primaries, or elemental control, exist in eight types: Fire, Ice, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Light, Dark, and Neutral. Neutral Auras are a tad odd, due to the fact that their Secondary ability increases in power to match a typical Primary."_

 _"Secondaries come in a wider variety, and not all have been thoroughly documented. The most common ones were simply increases in physical strength (like Miss Xiao Long) or speed (like Miss Rose). Less common abilities include Regeneration, which can rapidly heal both the Aura and anyone they wish, Teleportation, which we got more than our fair share of with Chaos, and Kinesis, which you've seen displayed by Charles."_

 _"There were three documented 'unique' abilities prior to our arrival in Remnant, by which I mean only one Aura had been seen having it. One of these Auras showed the ability to manipulate short spans of time. The other two where both Bloodlines, with 'Lord Eclipse' having short-term invisibility, and the Guardian 'Rage' having control over gravity."_

 _"Oh, boy...then there are the Bloodlines...A handful of Auras with a third ability that gets passed down from first-born to first-born. Each one of them is freakishly powerful, and there were thirteen of these guys running around while I was still kicking around back on Earth. Each Bloodline ability seems to represent something, usually an element or some sort of emotion. So, Charles, for example, who is the inheritor of the 'Terror' Bloodline, is part of the line representing fear. Chaos was the Bloodline of the same name. So on and so forth. As far as I know, the only two Bloodlines that fall outside the emotion/element circle are the two capable of creating new Bloodlines, Reaper and Esprit. Death and Soul."_

* * *

 **A/N: And I'm back! What do you all think? I recently started a temporary job, which ate up a lot of my time. Chapters may be more erratic in how often they are posted, but I will attempt to keep to my schedule of a chapter a day like last time.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**


	3. Chapter 2

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 2**_

"Here, Auntie Marcia." The EDC General looked down at the little girl holding out a bundle of armor to her. "Daddy said you'd need it."

"Thank you, Lex." she replied, taking the armor gratefully. She quickly donned the various pieces of the suit. "How's your Dad's search coming along?"

"Daddy said he hasn't found a car yet." Lex reported. Marcia nodded appreciatively, holding the armor's helmet in her hands. They had originally thought that Ignis and Alyia had not been too far away, but the quick application of a flare proved that the other two members of their wayward group were far out of sight. After a short search, Marcia had found the culprit of their incorrect assumption, a long-range transmitter tucked inside the wreck of one of the aircraft that had been pulled out of the hangar with them. Alyia had found an identical transmitter in another wreck wherever she and Ignis had landed, meaning the pair could be anywhere. The two separated parties eventually came to the decision to search for civilization independently, hoping that they would eventually run into each other.

Marcia was jolted out of her thoughts by the sound of a starting engine. She turned to find Jerloh, now fully dressed in his Guardian armor, an armored trench coat, sitting victoriously behind the wheel of an operable "Cobra" Light Combat Vehicle, an armored car-like vehicle with a mounted gatling turret and two pairs of all-terrain treads.

"Alright, we're not stuck on foot anymore." the Bloodline said happily.

"Good, that's one problem out of the way." Marcia replied. "We should take as many of these supply crates as we can, I doubt we'll be able to get more food or ammo easily." She gestured towards the piles of metal boxes strewn about the field near their position.

"Right." Jerloh waved a hand towards the crates, using his kinetic ability to lift the containers into the back of the Cobra.

"Daddy, can I help?" Lex asked eagerly as Marcia stepped around the little girl to assist in loading the vehicle.

"Nah, we've got it. Just sit back and keep an eye out for bad guys, okay?"

"Okay!" Lex answered with a hop and a salute.

A short while later, Marcia set the last crate she could fit into the back of the Cobra down with a metallic thud. She rolled her shoulders before settling down in the driver's seat of the vehicle, Jerloh sitting in the passenger's seat, and Lex tucked in the back.

"Don't touch the turret controls, alright?" the General instructed.

"Kay!" came the joyful reply from behind her.

"Alright, here we go..." Marcia activated the vehicle's engine, causing it to rumble to life. She flipped on the machine's forward-facing lights in preparation for the rapidly approaching sunset. The Cobra's treads began to roll, tearing up the grass beneath them. Now that they were on the move, the gravity of their situation seemed to weigh on the trio. A sudden quiet passed over them. Their plan wasn't exactly a great one. They'd drive North, or what would have been North on Earth anyway, until they either found some sort of settlement or a coastline.

Marcia stared out at the widely untouched nature illuminated by the Cobra's headlights. She'd never had the privilege to observe a sight like the one before her. Back home, buildings had already drowned out the original green landscapes for the better part of three centuries. Not to say there wasn't vegetation, but it was mostly rooftop gardens or parks, rarely forests and fields of any size.

"Auntie Marcia? Do you think the others are okay?" Lex's voice asked tiredly. The day's stress seemed to have caught up with the eight-year-old, as she ended her question with a loud yawn.

"I'm sure Alyia and Mr. Aedus can take care of themselves."

"No, I mean the other others. Dev and Ember and Mr. Dietrich."

"I'm sure they're all fine, Lex." Jerloh answered placatingly. Marcia kept her mouth shut, not wanting to voice her own worries for the people they had been with aboard the Maw of the Abyss. She kept her eyes firmly on the road ahead of them.

"Auntie, how come you call Uncle Ryan 'Mr. Aedus'?" Jerloh's daughter inquired, seemingly not wanting the vehicle to fall back into uneasy silence. Her question, however was not one Marcia felt particularly comfortable discussing with the little girl. Ryan Aedus was an odd subject in Marcia's mind. The man, only five years older than her, hadn't always been an ally. Twelve years prior, he had been a member of the Order. Under the name "Lord Ignis", Marcia and her old platoon had crossed paths with him many times. He'd killed more than handful of people she had cared about, and she had offed a few of his underlings personally.

However, Ignis had been fiercely loyal to the Order's founder, Gerard Antola, or High Lord Esprit. Antola had wished for a world where Auras could live without fear, and had led the Auras in a campaign against the EDC. Surprisingly, the High Lord had eventually changed his mind, after seeing the Guardians work alongside the EDC and achieve what he had wished for. However, when he had called for peace, the army of Auras he had driven into a frenzy hadn't been too willing to stand down. He, Ignis, and a handful of their most loyal followers had been ousted from the Order. After that, Esprit had helped the EDC tear down the monster he had created.

Marcia narrowed her eyebrows as she recalled all of this. Despite the "good" the ex-Order soldiers had done in order to atone, it didn't wash away the blood on their hands. She would fight alongside him, but she couldn't trust him.

"Auntie?" Lex's voice jolted the General out of her sour thoughts.

"Marcie and Ryan have some bad history between them. Neither of them really like talking about it." Jerloh informed his daughter. Marcia gave him a silent nod of thanks for taking over.

"But... you, Momma, and the other Uncles and Aunties call him 'Ryan'." the little girl cocked her head in confusion.

"Let's just say I'm not as forgiving as your Dad is." Marcia said flatly. Lex picked up on her tone and seemed to decide to end the conversation. The awkward silence crept back into the vehicle as the sun's last rays ducked underneath the horizon. "Daddy, look at that!" Jerloh followed his daughter's finger as she gestured excitedly towards the sky. He instantly saw what she had wanted, in the darkened air above the Cobra sat a moon, bright white, with a large chunk of its mass shattered from the rest of it.

"Hey, Marcie..." Jerloh tapped the soldier, "Slow down and take a look at this." The General gently applied the Cobra's brakes, causing the vehicle to slowly grind to a halt.

"...What is that?" Marcia stared at the orbiting body. She'd never even heard of anything like it. Where in the universe had they wound up? She was about to voice this same question, when the Cobra suddenly rocked to the side as something large rammed itself into it. "What was-" She was cut off as the LCV was struck again.

"There are a bunch of big crows!" Lex said calmly, staring out the LCV's narrow window and seemingly unfazed by the sudden attack. "They're not as cute as the one's back home." Marcia took a deep breath to calm her nerves. If the six-year-old could be fearless in this situation, the least she could do was keep her own cool.

"Jerloh, the Cobra's holding for now, do you think you can-" the General cut herself off as she saw the Guardian with his palm already on the door handle. "You've got it, nevermind. I'll back you up with the turret."

"Try not to hit me, alright?" the man smiled as he exited the vehicle and stepped onto the plains, "Otherwise, we might have to have a talk about your reputation as the EDC's best shot." Jerloh shut the door behind him firmly, holding his helmet in his left hand. He quickly scanned the skies as he donned the head piece, a skull-like visage with a violet line running vertically across the left side and mechanical vents on both cheeks. He spotted four large raven-like beasts circling the Cobra, each with bright-white bone forming masks on their heads. "Well, guess that confirms it, we definitely aren't anywhere near home."

* * *

The Nevermores circled the vehicle, their red eyes now focusing on the Human that had dared to wander into the open. However, something kept the soulless creatures at bay. Normally, Grimm of their size would have no qualms attacking such a small target. But some sort of energy surrounded the small, armored, coat-wearing form beneath them that held the giant birds at a distance.

Suddenly, the energy flared, and the Nevermores tensed at its presence. The Human had sprouted four burning wings from his back, and violet fire poured from vents on his armor. In seemingly a blink of an eye, the Human closed the distance between the ground and the circling Grimm. A flaming sword flashed through the air, a crescent-shaped notch cut out of the blade. The notch was hooked around the neck of one of the Nevermores, and an invisible force pushed it towards the dirt below. Its head and body fell separately, leaving the Human to draw a large revolver and blast a trio of holes in another of the Grimm's wings, sending the creature hurtling downward. The lead beast locked eyes with the Human's helmet.

"Well, you guys aren't exactly Order material, but you'll do for a warm-up."

* * *

Meanwhile, further North, a man stirred in a cave. His schedule for the last two years had been an odd one. He slept through most of the day, but awoke at night to keep incursions of the creatures called "Grimm" away. He stretched and yawned, watching the edge of the woods for the first wave of red-eyed beasts.

The man had been proud once, had almost helped bring an entire world to its knees. Still, the thought of revenge for what he had lost made him crack a manic smile. A wolf-like creature stepped into the mouth of the cave, holding a basket in its mouth. Unlike a Grimm, this beast was hollow, dimly illuminated by an internal red-orange glow, and it also followed the man's orders. A Shade, a Fenrir to be more precise.

"So, what did our friends leave for us today?" the man asked the Fenrir, not expecting an answer as the shadowy puppet lay the basket at his side. It was filled with fruit, offerings from a rather odd group of people.

When the man had first left the cave in search of food, he had come across a frontier settlement of sorts. He had, at the time, been none too willing to negotiate, so he had slaughtered them all and taken their supplies. For the most part, he had stuck to the cave afterward, allowing his aging injuries to heal. Of course, the nightly hordes of aggressive creatures helped keep him in good form, but he had still needed to occasionally conduct a raid of a settlement he located for additional supplies.

Over time, some of the frontiersmen had begun to whisper about some sort of angry woodland deity, and had started to leave offerings of food to the being that seemingly wiped out Human, Faunus, and Grimm alike. There where even some who became quite fanatical, killing in the name of a "god of death" that did not exist. The man wasn't about to complain. It certainly made his life easier to have worshipers, even if they never directly came into contact with him.

As the man lifted an apple to bite, something caught his eye. The old helmet he had brought with him, black, adorned with golden trim and red light. A small blip flashed on its side, showing that it was picking up a signal. The man's face shifted rapidly between surprise and glee. Lord Chaos had company.

* * *

 _ **Barnes' Log: Shades and Grimm**_

 _"So, this is going to be fairly short. Let's start with what's the same between the most common foes on Remnant and Earth, the Grimm and Shades. Both tend to come in large swarms and many varieties, and are both generally a pain in the ass to deal with."_

 _"That's about where the similarities end, though. Grimm, despite being creatures without souls, are still living animals of a sort. Shades are puppets, artificially created by an Aura to do their bidding. The Order was a big fan of just using massive hordes of them to overwhelm EDC positions. However, it does take time and effort to make a Shade, though less than a drone."_

 _"Shades are also slightly harder to kill. Take off a Grimm's head, and it will stay down. With Shades, however, that's not always the case. The bigger ones have to be 'destabilized' in order for them to stay dead. In short, put holes in them until they fall apart."_

 _"Firearms have always proven useful against Shades, the higher the caliber, the better. Fire and electricity have also shown to cause suitable damage against the things, so they're usable if need be. Personally, I'd just say hit them with tank shells or artillery if you have the chance."_

 _"Alright, that's all that I can really think of as relevant at this time, Ozpin. I've gotta write up a lesson plan for next semester and take some of the paperwork pressure off Cinder. Keep me in the loop. Barnes out."_

* * *

 **A/N: Chapter turned out better than I originally thought it would.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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	4. Chapter 3

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 3**_

 _"Priority transport, designation A4-11, is now arriving. Please keep clear of landing pad eighteen."_ A robotic voice reported from a loudspeaker. Admiral Dietrich pushed himself off the wall of the hangar where he had been leaning as a Dragonfly dropship coasted into the hangar aboard the Maw of the Abyss.

Following the disappearance of General Evans and four others, the Admiral had begun a rather desperate search. Losing a high-ranking officer and three Bloodlines had not been a good start to his day. The aging Navy man lifted his cap to briefly sweep his hand over his head and took a moment to straighten his coat as the dropship landed with a heavy thud. The side hatch of the craft opened upward to allow its two passengers to disembark. Two pairs of snow-white armored boots landed against the hangar floor.

"Guardians Drazen and Izumi. Thank you for coming so quickly." Dietrich greeted. "Guardian Miller arrived a few hours ago. He's been down on the engineering deck, running through the data from our encounter with the Order."

"Evening, Admiral." Guardian Sven Drazen greeted politely. The Aura was covered by a ragged-looking cloak, hood down to reveal a kind face with dark eyes and hair. "Can you give us a better idea as to what happened?"

"I would if I could, but I scarcely understand anything about the situation. Miller could probably already give you a better explanation than I could."

"Knowing Sam, he's already come up with half a dozen plans for getting the others back." Guardian Rei Izumi chuckled. He was of a more muscular build than Drazen, and stood a full head taller than his comrade. A metal eyepatch covered the Guardian's right ocular socket. He had black hair and brown eyes like Sven, but Rei's gaze was sharper and his hair longer.

"I hope so." the Admiral nodded. "Let's not keep him waiting any longer, shall we?" Dietrich gestured with his hand and led the two Guardians down the orderly halls of the EDC Dreadnaught. He made minor notes of how the two moved. Sven walked quickly with an eerie sort of liquid grace, making almost no noise despite wearing armor. Rei's stride was heavy, the Guardian's boots clanking against the metal floors with each step.

As the Admiral stepped into an elevator with the pair, he felt a child-like curiosity fill him. He had been surprised when General Evans had brought Guardian Blackwill and his sister onto his ship. It was the first time the Naval officer had gotten to meet a Bloodline up close. To say the least, it had felt like standing in the presence of some sort of god of war. Now, here Dietrich was, standing beside two more of the most powerful humans in existence. The Bloodlines of Death and Wrath.

* * *

"The two of you are late." Guardian Sam Miller greeted his comrades as Dietrich showed them through the door to the Maw's engineering lab. The third Guardian was poring over a multitude of screens, all rapidly relaying information at a rate beyond either of the Bloodlines. Dietrich excused himself, leaving the trio of white-armored individuals on their own. "Sven. Rei. Good to see you're both still in single pieces." Sam greeted Drazen and Izumi respectively.

"Have you found anything from what you've seen so far?" Sven asked, his cloak fluttering lightly as he walked over to his old friend.

"I've found _something_ , but it's hard to believe."

"After everything we've seen over the years, I find _that_ difficult to believe." Sven replied.

"Alright, I'll try to explain then. You both understand the basic idea of a wormhole, right?"

"Physics was never my strong suit." Rei grunted.

"Okay then..." Sam looked around the lab, spotting several sheets of paper laying on a nearby table. After quickly assuring there was nothing too important written on them, the Guardian brought a few sheets over to use as tools for his explanation. "Let's say one of these sheets is our universe. The short version is that a wormhole brings two faraway points close together, like folding this paper."

"Fine, so you're saying that Jerloh and the others got spit out somewhere along with Agony?"

"Well... sort of. Based off the data I've sifted through so far, Agony didn't really 'stick to our sheet of paper', so to speak."

"You're talking dimensional travel?" Sven inquired.

"Yeah," Sam nodded, "Told you it would be hard to believe..."

"If it really is another dimension," Rei cut in, "How do we get there?"

"You assume this is like opening a door."

"Is that not exactly what Agony did?"

"He-" Sam stopped for a moment. "No, you're right. Huh. Sometimes the simplest solution really is the best." He began to think to himself, trying to figure out how he might create a doorway across dimensions. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud beep emitting from the tactical pad laid on a table beside him. Sam picked it up and looked at the completed scan. "That's odd."

"What?" Rei asked.

"On a hunch, I wondered whether whatever hole Agony opened up was still here. It is. In a way at least. My scan picked up some low-level energy readings, but the hole itself doesn't seem to be stable enough to travel through."

"What use was the scan then?"

"It wasn't the only hole it picked up. When I thought it was a normal wormhole, I bounced a scan off every EDC sensor they'd let me, figuring I'd find out where the exit was. Now that I have readings from this one, I can confirm it isn't the first time something has crossed over."

"Slow down, Sam. English." Sven gestured with his hands.

"I mean there's more of these residual portals, including one on Earth that I could potentially stabilize enough for us to stage a rescue."

"Alright. You handle the details, we'll secure the portal. Just point us in the right direction."

"I'll send all the necessary data to your HUDs."

A short while later, Sven and Rei returned to their dropship to head out towards the coordinates that Sam had provided. As Sven's boot tapped against the side of the craft, he felt a small tug on his cloak. Turning, he was greeted with the faces of two small children, Devin and Ember, Alyia's son and Ryan's daughter. The latter held a bundle of Sven's tattered cloak in her hand.

"Uncle Sven? Are you going to bring back my Daddy?" Sven dropped to one knee so he was on eye-level with the little ginger-haired girl. She had desperate tears in her eyes. He lightly placed a hand on her head.

"Don't worry. We will."

* * *

Rei watched as his fellow Guardian stepped onto the Dragonfly, waving his farewell to the pair of children in the hangar.

"It always strikes me as odd how compassionate you are, Sven. Even though you're a Reaper." He commented from his seat within the dropship.

"Is it really that strange?" Sven asked, taking a seat across from the other Aura.

"It just seems bizarre how the Bloodline of Death goes out of his way to prevent the very thing he represents."

"I learned from the best." Sven smiled. Rei nodded his understanding.

"Greene, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Well, as far as role models go, I suppose the hero of humanity is a good one to aspire to."

"I doubt he would have wanted to be called that. Titles weren't really his thing."

"No, I suppose they weren't."

"The stories really are strange, aren't they? That we get made out to be these great heroes while Alex slowly fades into history... We wouldn't be where we are if not for him..."

"Yeah..." Rei nodded solemnly. "Yeah, it is..."

* * *

 _ **EARTH DEFENSE COALITION DATABASE: EDC GEN3 ARMOR/ AEGIS ARMOR**_

 _"The culmination of the alliance between the Guardians and the EDC has given birth to this: the third generation of powered, shielded armor systems."_

 _"The Guardian's design for the Aegis is exceedingly powerful, able to take direct hits from Aura-based attacks without harm to the user. It is light, yet strong, and has rapidly regenerating shielding. However, since every suit of Aegis is built for its unique operator, they are both time and resource consuming to produce. For now, their distribution has been kept only within the ranks of the Guardians and EDC-MATF."_

 _"The Gen3 EDC Multi-Role Armor System (M-RAS) is not quite as strong as the Aegis per unit, but it packs enough punch to get the job done. Unlike the Aegis, it can be mass-produced and does not require specialized training to use. The platform is highly customizable to fit mission parameters on the fly. In exchange, however, it has weaker shields and armor plating. It can take hits from Shades, but it won't be taking on a Bloodline in single combat any time soon."_

* * *

 **A/N: Short chapter, though most chapters involving Earth are going to be relatively shorter than the ones in Remnant.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **Stevealio: I'm assuming Yang's hair has stayed about the same length.**

 **Skaana: Thanks for the enthusiasm!**


	5. Chapter 4

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 4**_

Winter stood on the balcony outside her office on the Schnee estate. She took a deep breath of fresh air and looked over the grassy courtyard beneath her. The plants outside the manor had recovered well in the two years after being singed by Charles' flames.

Winter sighed to herself before straightening her stance in response to the sound of the door behind her sliding open. She relaxed when she turned to find a dark-haired girl looking up at her with intelligent green eyes.

"Hello, Anise." A warm smile spread across the Schnee's face as she greeted the eight-year-old.

"Hi, Winter." Anise wrapped her arms around Winter's waist. The snow-haired woman responded in kind. "Taking a break?"

"Yes." Winter guided the small girl over to a chair and sat down across from her. "There's been a lot of paperwork today."

"A lot of letters too, right?"

"Right..." Winter nodded. Her recent influx of paperwork was due in no small part to her newest wave of attempts to clean up the Schnee Dust Company. To say the least, more than a few less-than-savory members of the company were unhappy with the oldest Schnee sister's crusade against their corruption.

Winter idly rubbed the side of her neck, her ring finger tracing the rapidly aging scar she had received several months before.

"Why didn't you tell Weiss?" Anise interrupted the woman's thoughts.

"I don't want her to worry about me. She has other things to concentrate on." Winter replied guiltily. She had led Weiss to believe that the man that had attempted to kill her was a remaining member of the White Fang, but the man had, in fact, been no less human than Winter. It wasn't that Winter held any grudge against the Faunus, but revealing to Weiss that she likely was in even _more_ danger than before might have caused the younger Schnee to lose track of her studies at Beacon.

"You're going to have to tell her someday."

"I know," Winter sighed, "Hopefully when it's all over." She paused, and the two sat quietly for several minutes. "So, how are your lessons with Charles going?"

"They're okay, I guess." Anise shrugged. "I don't really get how my power works, but I can kinda tell it what to do. I think Uncle Charles doesn't totally get it either because he has a different power."

"That's understandable." Winter nodded. "He did say that each Bloodline was unique from each other."

"He's still a good teacher though." Anise nodded her head approvingly before seeming to think of something and hopping to her feet. "Oh, have you eaten lunch yet?"

"Not yet, I've been up here since this morning." Winter let herself be pulled to her feet by the young girl.

"Let's go fix that, then!"

* * *

At Beacon, team RWBY was in the midst of preparing. With the semester over, they now had a long-needed vacation ahead of them.

"So, what are the three of you planning to do once you make it home?" Blake spoke up from her position on her bed. Unlike her teammates, Blake would be staying in Vale, while Ruby and Yang were headed to their hometown on the island Patch, and Weiss returned to Atlas.

"Well, I figured it was about time I stopped giving our Dad the run-around, so I invited Ryland to come with us so I could introduce him." Yang replied. "Ruby wanted to show Alex and Luna around the island too, but they haven't said 'yes' or 'no' yet."

"Mhmm!" Ruby confirmed her sister's statement while she dug through one of the bags she was packing. "...could've sworn I put it in here..."

"And you, Weiss?" The black-haired girl inquired as Yang moved to assist her sibling.

"I'm simply glad that I'm going to be able to spend time with Winter, Charles, and Anise."

"That sounds like it'll be fun."

"I'm sure it will be. I can't wait to hear Anise sing. Winter has been talking about it constantly." Weiss smiled at the thought. "Are you sure you don't want to come with me or go with Ruby and Yang, Blake? It doesn't feel right leaving you all by yourself."

"I'll be fine. I have Dimitri and Firo to spend time with, after all." Blake shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, though."

"It's a bit late for this break, but we should bring Blake and Weiss with us to Patch next time." Ruby commented, pulling a small component for her out of the seemingly endless bag that lay at her feet. "We could invite everyone else too."

"That does sound like it could be enjoyable." Weiss' ponytail bobbed thoughtfully along with her head.

* * *

"So, have you made a decision yet?"

"Hmm?" Alex looked up from the article he was reading on his scroll. Luna shut the door of their shared room behind her and sat down on the bed. Alex turned in his chair next to the room's sole desk to face her. "You mean regarding Ruby's invitation?"

"Yup. If we're going, we should let her know soon."

"I shot Ozpin a message earlier to see whether he was okay with us taking off. Still waiting on a reply." Alex informed his blue-haired companion. Luna moved from her position on the bed and walked over to where Alex was seated. She draped her arms around him and eyed the scroll curiously.

"What're you reading?"

"Arthur passed on something Blake found." Alex held out the scroll for Luna to see. "Looks like Adam and the others have been doing some good work in Vacuo."

The article contained an image of six people, three Faunus and three Humans, shaking hands with one of the Vacuo council members. Following the events at the temple, Adam, Blake's friend, had taken off with a rather motley crew of ex-criminals to try and set things right in the world. Using the knowledge of their trio of ex-White Fang members, Adam, Vio, Erwin, Roman, Neo, and Zephyr had been dismantling what they could of the radical Faunus organization, as well as improving the relationship between Faunus and Humans.

"They certainly look happy. Zephyr especially." Luna commented, pointing to an orange-haired girl in black armor in the picture. The young ex-Order acolyte certainly did appear to be in a brighter state of mind than before, with a wide toothy grin plastered on her face, instead of a saddened expression or a scowl.

The rest of the group pictured seemed to be in similarly good spirits and health. Roman had cut his hair, giving him a much cleaner and professional look. The thief's faithful companion, Neo, had tied her tri-colored hair back into a functional ponytail. She had her hands placed victoriously on her hips.

Vio and Erwin hadn't changed much in appearance since the last time Alex had seen them. Erwin still had all his limbs and fox ears, but he had adopted a watchful gaze of sorts, as if he were always on the lookout for danger. Vio appeared to have lost a small chunk out of her right wolf ear, and had a new scar running across her forehead on the same side, likely from a negotiation gone sideways. Despite that, she had still found time to keep her long hair dyed a vivid purple hue.

Then there was Adam. Of all the members of his group, he had changed the most. Ever since he had shed the White Fang mask, Blake's old partner had dedicated his entire existence to repenting for his actions. He'd become friendlier and more open, chatting with Blake or Arthur whenever he could contact them.

Alex was actually surprised when he had found out Adam regularly spoke with the blond boy. Apparently, the bull Faunus used the Guardians as a source of guidance in how he should handle different situations.

"They've come a long way." Luna spoke up as she finished reading through the article. Alex opened his mouth to agree as the scroll emitted a loud beep. A small symbol resembling a closed envelope popped onto the screen with the name "Ozpin" next to it.

"Guess that's the reply we were waiting for." Alex opened the short text and read it silently.

"...So?" Luna cocked her head playfully. "Are we good?"

"Yup." Alex nodded. "We're good to go. I'll be sure to let Ruby know the good news."

* * *

Deep in the forests of Vale, Chaos sat silently and pondered his next course of action. His old helmet lay beside him, softly squeaking out transmissions between the various Order soldiers that had suddenly appeared. They'd thrown around a couple names he'd recognized, chiefly "Agony" and "Carnage", and a few names he hadn't.

It was odd, really. Even after years of fighting for the Order, Chaos had never really felt any strong connection to the organization. It was the magnum opus of long-dead, and in Chaos' eyes, misguided Auras. Hearing the voices of his old "allies" did not stir anything in him.

A small smirk spread across his face and the Bloodline gave an idle shrug. He reached over to pick up the battered helmet, and with a flick of his finger, silenced the radio. The ex-Lord gave a nearly imperceptible grunt as he pushed himself off the floor of his cave onto his feet.

"Sorry, Agony, but I think I've moved onto redder fields, if you know what I mean." Chaos chuckled to himself and tossed the helmet to the ground, the glass visor fully shattering as it hit the stone of the cavern floor. He turned to the Fenrir he had made to assist him. "What do you think, boy?" The Shade remained quiet. Chaos shrugged again. "I think it's time we looked into finding some new friends."

* * *

 _ **Barnes' Log: Bloodlines, Part 1**_

 _"So, if I understand your request, Ozpin, you'd like to know about the thirteen Bloodlines that fought back on Earth? I can try, but keep in mind that all this is just off the top of my head. It's not like I have an EDC database just sitting around for me to access for all the little details."_

 _"So... Bloodlines... I guess let's start with the big ones: Reaper and Esprit. Esprit, the Bloodline of Soul, was head of the Order when it first reared its ugly head. From what I understand, the groundwork for the Order was put into place by the father of the Esprit the EDC fought. Guess that's why he was able to try and call an end to the war. Wasn't his dream, but his father's."_

 _"Reaper was an odd one. I never met him in person, but I spoke with him through Alex a handful of times. He was a pretty good kid, all things considered. Absolutely terrifying in combat, though."_

 _"The Reaper that Alex met was apparently one of the kids that got the Guardian 'ball' rolling. Speaks volumes about leadership right there. From what I could tell, he kind of looked up to Alex in a way, like some sort of role-model. Saw recordings of this kid throwing himself between civilians and Order troops constantly. Though, unlike Alex, at least our Reaper friend could regenerate."_

 _"Okay... combat capabilities... I only saw a recording of Esprit in the field once. All I could tell you is that he was a Light Aura. I have no idea what his secondary ability was. In melee combat, he'd swing around this huge two-handed blade as if it were a twig. Overall, he fought in a slower, more 'precise' manner."_

 _"Reaper I saw in action plenty of times. He was another Light Aura, with a Regeneration secondary ability. His whole fighting style was built around speed, lots of rapid circular swings with that scythe of his. The scythe itself was a bit of an oddity, a crescent moon-shaped blade where the outer edge had been sharpened as well. From what I saw, this meant that he could effectively use the weapon as an impromptu guillotine against Shades."_

 _"...Guess that'll do for now. I'll record more tomorrow. Barnes out."_

* * *

 **A/N: Slowly, but surely, the story is starting up.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **Welcometodalolz: There's still more to come. If you think it's been good so far, just wait until things really start to pick up.**


	6. Chapter 5

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 5**_

Agony studied the preliminary scans his ships had taken of the surrounding land. Wherever the Order had arrived, it certainly was no planet they had heard of. The High Lord of the Order let out an exasperated sigh. So far, the scouting parties he had sent out to survey the wilderness had only encountered strange bone-covered creatures. The animals were hardly a significant threat, but they certainly served to delay the search for any sort of-

Agony's thoughts were interrupted as the door of the bridge on his flagship slid open. A pair of men in black armor strode in, bowing slightly once they stood around ten strides away from the High Lord.

"My Lord, we found something."

"Speak." The Bloodline did not turn away from the scans in front of him.

"We have located a large settlement to the East. The residents appear to be Human."

"Human. Really?" Agony pondered out loud. "Interesting."

"We are prepared to make contact. On your command, we will-"

"No." Agony silenced the scout. "Tell your men to stand down. I will be the one to introduce us."

"My Lord, are you certain that is-" the scout trailed off as the High Lord turned to look at him. "-the... wisest... decision..."

Agony may have been the oldest among the Order's Lords, but his age did not make him any less intimidating. The aging Bloodline had an air of both intelligence and strength about him. Wrinkled features and a graying red beard and receding hairline betrayed his years, but his eyes remained a sharp emerald color, seemingly picking the world around him apart with no effort. The scout felt like his superior was staring into his very soul.

"Knight, I know what I am doing. Do not question my methods."

"Yes, sir. Of course."

* * *

As Agony sat aboard a dropship headed for the city the scouts had found, he found himself thinking of Earth. Whatever planet they had landed on seemed... pristine. No gray towers of concrete and steel, no swathes of ruins left by the Order's war with the EDC. As he thought of the EDC, Agony's thoughts turned to the Guardians, the fools. Couldn't they see nothing would change? The EDC may have declared them allies... but Auras would not be safe until those that had hunted them for years... so called "normal" Humans... were gone for good.

"My Lord. We have arrived." the pilot of the dropship reported. "It seems the locals have spotted us as well. They've set up some defenses."

Agony snapped out of his own personal thoughts. He stood up as the door of the transport opened, flooding the dark interior with evening light. He took several steps forward, dropping off the edge of the aircraft onto a grassy field that swayed gently in the wind. In the distance, the Lord spotted a walled city with tall buildings.

"My Lord, are you sure you don't want me to drop you closer?" the pilot called out.

"These things must be handled tactfully. I will call for you when my work is done."

"As you wish, sir. Good luck." the Order dropship's hatch shut behind the Lord with a thud. The ship pulled away into the sky, leaving Agony standing alone in the knee-high grass.

"Hmph. 'Luck.'" the Lord chuckled to himself as he began to walk towards the city in the distance.

It took the aging Bloodline a short while to work his way across the gently rippling plain between himself and the city. As he approached the towering wall surrounding the settlement, he slowed his pace. A large gateway stood etched into the stone barrier. Agony could make out humanoid figures in gold and brown armor in position both within and above the archway.

"FREEZE!" Agony stopped calmly as one of the armored guardsmen, likely their Captain judging by the red scarf tied around his neck, called out as he stepped into view. "IDENTIFY YOURSELF!"

Agony raised his hands to show he was unarmed. He had decided the best way to introduce himself would be without his weapons and armor, though perhaps "unarmed" was still not the best term to describe a Bloodline, and in case of an emergency, he had Enigma on standby. Still, here the Lord was, dressed in a simple dark business suit.

"Good evening, gentlemen." Agony greeted friendlily. "I come in peace."

* * *

It had been a long couple of days for Marcia. Not that that was anything outside the norm for her, she'd spent more than her fair share of mostly sleepless nights. She and Jerloh had kept swapping between driving and taking short rests when they could. They had quickly found that stopping was a non-option, as the local population of dark creatures would be upon them in minutes.

Jerloh was currently behind the wheel of the LCV, along Marcia to take a break. The General had stretched herself across one of the vehicles seats. She stirred as a slight weight settled in next to her. Marcia cracked her eyes open to find Lex curled up next to her. She placed an arm around the small girl.

"...Auntie Marcia? I've got a question..."

"Go ahead, Lex." the General replied calmly as the six-year-old nuzzled closer to her for warmth.

"...Daddy talks a lot about... the other Uncles and Aunties... the ones you were friends with... can you tell me about them?"

"Hasn't your Dad told you about them?"

"He said that it 'was your story to tell'." Lex yawned. Marcia threw a look towards the back of Jerloh's head as he sat in the driver's seat. If he was listening in, he was doing a good job of keeping it to himself. The General let out a sigh as she thought of her old friends.

"Alright, Lex. I suppose it's time you learned about the greatest friends your Dad and I ever had... including the person you're named after..."

* * *

Elsewhere, in a thick expanse of forest, loud howls of Grimm echoed through the air. Beowolves poured towards a pair of figures trying to work their way through a clearing. The two Humans had been walking constantly without rest. Had the Beowolves been wiser, they might have rethought swarming the pair.

One Grimm's head was severed at the jawline as a glowing whip of metal seared through the air. Almost ten feet away, one of the Humans stood with his back to the other. Like his weapon, he glowed and smoked. The air around him was uncomfortably hot, even for the Grimm. Three more creatures fell to a horizontal slash of the whip-like blade.

The other Human thinned the Grimm's numbers with barrages from her two firearms. The twin pistols ripped and burned holes through the masked creatures with ease. Often times, one of her projectiles would slightly splash and break apart, causing multiple Grimm to catch fire from the burning projectiles.

"They certainly don't know when to quit, do they?" Ignis commented, kicking a Beowolf in its mask and cracking it.

"That's an understatement." Alyia replied calmly as she jammed one of her pistols into a creature's mouth and blew off its head. The Beowolves seemed to begin to understand that they were fighting a losing battle, and began to back off from the pair. Suddenly, the creatures parted, allowing their pack leader to approach the battle.

"Well. Looks like their boss decided to come out and play." Ignis huffed. Several dozen more large Beowolves entered the clearing, bigger and better armored than their fellows. "... and it looks like he brought friends."

"Oh. _Fun_." Alyia replied sarcastically and sighed. "I hope the others are doing better than we are."

* * *

 _ **Barnes' Log: Bloodlines, Part 2**_

 _"Alright, picking up from where I left off yesterday... I guess I'll get the friendly Bloodlines out of the way first."_

 _"First off... let's start with our good friends in the Terror Bloodline. You've already met Charles and know how he is. His son, Jerloh, is fairly similar in the case of temperament and fighting style. He was a bit wilder than his Dad, but that might've just been his age showing. Overall, he's a good kid."_

 _"Then there was Charles' old friend, Aiko, and her son. Aiko's a bit... well, let's just say you'd never want to piss her off. She certainly lives up to the Rage Bloodline name. Last time I saw, she was either holding a polearm or beating an enemy down with her bare hands."_

 _"Now, her son, Rei. He was... cold. Not to say he was especially unfriendly... but you could never really tell what he was thinking. Last I saw, his weapon of choice was a club-like weapon called a kanabo. He put it on a chain as well. Now I can't really describe how his Bloodline ability manifested perfectly... Let's just say it was quite frightening to come face-to-face with him when he had the ability flared out."_

 _"..Okay. That's it for now. Sorry to cut this short, Cinder's calling for me."_

* * *

 **A/N: Somewhat shorter chapter today. Sorry bout that. An interesting thing happened... I finally got around to watching the newest episode of RWBY on the RT site and... well, you'll see how I incorporate the information they revealed in later chapters.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES:**

 **Stevealio: Ryland's going to have to deal with Dad-mode Taiyang. It will be fun.**

 **Skaana: Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 6

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 6**_

"Approaching LZ now, Guardians." The pilot of an EDC dropship reported sharply. "Seems quiet."

"Thank you, Matilda." Sven replied from his seat in the back of the transport. The side hatch of the craft opened, flooding the interior with wind, causing Sven's cloak to flap wildly.

"Anytime, Sir. I'll be on standby if you need me."

"Copy that. Rei, let's go." The Reaper gestured for his fellow Bloodline to follow him as he stepped off the dropship and onto the shattered concrete below the aircraft. The other Guardian thudded to the ground next to his companion. With her passengers dropped off, the pilot pulled the Dragonfly dropship back into the sky, leaving the two armored individuals standing among a forest of crumbling concrete ruins.

"... Never thought we'd come back here for a mission of any kind..." Rei commented.

"Yeah..." Sven nodded and pressed the side of his helmet. "I'll run the scans for Sam. Keep an eye out for me, would you?"

"Got it." While his companion went about gathering data, Rei began to wander a short distance away, towards the sole undamaged landmark within the city. He knew where he was going. After all, he and the others came here often to pay their respects.

It took the Rage inheritor only a few minutes to reach his destination, a simple monolith atop a pedestal. The structure was made of smooth polished marble, so reflective that Rei could make out details on his armor from over twenty feet away. He kept walking towards the monument until he could discern the engraved text in the slab's side.

 _"Here, on January 15th, 2998, thousands of brave souls gave their lives in service to the Earth Defense Coalition, their homes, and their families. The once proud city that stood on this land will remain barren, a testament to their hardships and sacrifices. May our friends, parents, siblings, and children make the most of what they have given us. What they have taught us. What they won for us."_

Rei paused as he read over the inscription. He knew it by heart by now, but actually reading it made him feel like he was at least extending a basic courtesy to the dead. Quiet footsteps from behind alerted him to Sven's presence.

"I've confirmed what Sam was thinking. There is one of his 'residual portals' floating around." the Reaper reported.

"Be sure to let him know so he can start working on that gateway of his."

"Already done. Now we just wait."

"Hm." Rei made a small sound of acknowledgment and nodded his head once. Sven joined him beside the monument.

"Paying our old friends a visit?"

"...Something like that."

"I wish we could've done more back then, that we could've saved even a few more lives."

"Don't we all?" Rei let out a puff of air. "We were kids back then. We did what we could."

"... I suppose so..."

As the pair of Guardians stood in front of the EDC memorial, they did not notice another pair of figures. A man and woman in sets of black armor with golden trim. This other pair watched the Reaper and his companion from the shadowed interior of one of the partially collapsed skyscrapers nearby. Using one of their abilities, they were all but invisible to the Guardians.

* * *

"I do hope your plan works, Ion." the woman whispered.

"Of course it will. We let the EDC and their friends find out where Lord Agony went, we let them start building their 'gateway', we ambush them, I finish up the 'gate', and then we go regroup with the High Lord. It's not exactly complicated, Enmity." the other armored figure responded in an equally hushed voice, though a tad more annoyed and impatient sounding. "Until we make a move, just keep us hidden."

"Fine. You do your job and keep watch, then."

"I'm always doing my job."

* * *

After greeting the guardsmen at the gate, Agony had been guided into the city. They had questioned him for a short while before ultimately coming to the conclusion that he wasn't a threat. Now, the Lord chatted calmly with the Guards' Captain, Aegeus.

"So, where are you from?" Aegeus inquired as he escorted Agony deeper into the city.

"I can't say I'm from anywhere in particular." the Lord answered. "I've spent many of my most recent years on the move. Never found my way out here before, though."

"Aye, Mistral's a bit out of the way compared to the other Kingdoms. Not as many sights to see out here in the East." Agony made mental note of any information the Captain let slip. Since they had begun speaking, the Lord had deliberately led the other man on to reveal as much about where they were as possible. "So if you've been all over, you're sure to have seen some interesting things, yeah?"

"More than my fair share, I'm afraid. Some would likely prove hard for you to believe."

"I find _that_ hard to believe." Aegeus laughed. "I actually should ask, you looking for any place in particular here?"

"Not especially, though I must admit I admire the architecture as we walk." Agony's statement was not a lie. Mistral's buildings had an appealing mix of painted and carved stone aesthetics, similar to that of the Greeks and Romans back on Earth.

"If you're into that, you should probably head up to the Senate building in the center of town." the guardsman pointed to a large building with a domed roof that towered over its nearby neighbors. "It's the oldest building in the kingdom."

"That's certainly a testament to its builders it it's still standing." Agony nodded. "I would not want to keep you from your work any longer, Captain. I believe I can find my way from here."

"Alright, no problem. Enjoy your stay in Mistral." Aegeus gave the Lord a civil nod, then walked back the way the two of them had come, towards the wall around the city. Once he was gone, Agony let a different kind of smile flash across his face.

"Oh, I trust I will."

Agony took calm strides up the gently curving road ahead of him, following it to the Senate building. The structure was even larger than he had estimated from afar. It stood as tall as the skyscrapers on Earth, but was many times larger in width. Truly, it was a marvel of engineering. The building appeared to be accessible to the public, so the Lord strode through the main entrance into a large atrium. Above him, detailed mosaic images of warriors doing battle with dark creatures dotted the ceiling.

"Peleus!" Agony turned at the sound of a woman's voice and a tug at his sleeve. The woman had blood-red hair and green eyes, and maintained a significant amount of beauty and grace despite her obvious advancement in years. "Oh. My apologies. I thought you were my husband."

"I regret to say I am not. Though it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance regardless, Mrs..."

"Thetis Nikos. No titles, please, that is my husband's thing."

"An honor to meet you then, Thetis." Agony bowed politely. "My name is Godfrey Evrain."

"What brings you to Mistral, Mr. Evrain?" the woman smiled kindly.

"Business of sorts, I'm afraid. I represent a rather large group that requires a place to rest their bodies and minds, and was wondering whether your Kingdom would be willing to host us in exchange for our services. Though, personally, I'd much rather enjoy the people and architecture."

"Hmm, if that's what you're looking for perhaps I could put you into contact with- Oh, Peleus! Peleus, over here!" Thetis waved to her husband, a man with similarly colored hair and eyes, though from what Agony had seen, those particular hues were not exactly uncommon in this region.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Thetis." Peleus Nikos said apologetically. "My blasted secretary is going to be the death of me. Who's this?"

"Peleus, this is Mr. Evrain. Mr. Evrain, this is my husband, Senator Peleus Nikos."

"A pleasure." Agony extended his hand, which the Nikos patriarch shook readily. "I wished to speak to someone about housing a group I represent."

"Oh, that shouldn't be a problem at all. I assume you ask about this because your group does not have the needed funds to purchase rooms at the local inn?"

"There a tad too many of us for that, I'm afraid." the Lord laughed. "I was hoping I could arrange some sort of agreement."

"The Senate will be having a session in around an hour. If you'd like to put your proposal on the floor, I'd be happy to show you in."

"That sounds wonderful, thank you, Senator Nikos."

* * *

Peleus showed the Lord to an empty seat within the circular chamber used by the Mistral Senate. As he walked away, something caught the Senator's eyes. At Agony's feet, sat a metal briefcase.

 _Where did that come from? He didn't have it when we came in..._ Peleus shook his head to clear his mind and took his regular seat within the chamber. However, his eyes kept wandering back to the case. His interaction with the Lord had been polite enough, the man seemed articulate, well-educated, and quite intelligent... but something about the man rubbed Peleus the wrong way. Despite the kind words and smiles, "Mr. Evrain" was not what he seemed.

The Senate quickly went over their typical repertoire of matters, as they always did. Once the issues with taxes, budget, and potential changes to laws were covered, the floor opened up for guests to bring their matters to the table. As it so happened, they had only one today.

Peleus eyed Agony as the Lord rose from his seat and stepped down into the center of the room, his briefcase in hand.

"Greetings, Senators. My name is Godfrey Evrain. I represent an organization that requires somewhere to stay for a period of time. We, however, lack the monetary means to simply purchase a place for us. Instead, I would like to offer these as payment." Agony placed the briefcase on a waist-high pedestal in the very center of the floor and clicked it open. The case was empty aside from a holographic projector, which the Lord switched on. A three-dimensional image of what appeared to be a heavy machine gun popped into existence.

"You're offering us weapons?" a Senator asked.

"As I entered the city, I noticed that the guards on your wall were woefully undersupplied. They had no heavy weapons, only small arms and melee weapons. This, my good Senators, is my offer. I can promise five thousand units of these weapons as well as the personnel to train your soldiers in their use. In exchange, I simply require an empty plot of land to dock my ships."

* * *

Peleus couldn't believe it. The Senate hadn't even debated all that much. Enough of their number had been taken with the prospect of acquiring new armaments for essentially free that they'd agreed with almost no thought.

Agony had thanked the Senate for their time and departed the chamber quickly, apparently to call his ships. Against his better judgement, Peleus had decided to follow the other man. Thetis tagged along behind him, occasionally whispering something to try to convince her husband that nothing was wrong. Peleus stopped and peered around a corner as Agony pulled out a small communications device in an isolated section of the building.

"Lord Agony. It is good to hear from you. I trust that you achieved your goal?"

"Yes, I have found us a place to stay, at least temporarily. Have the crew stow the Shades and prepare a shipment of five thousand heavy weapon units."

"At once, my Lord. We will arrive shortly."

Peleus and Thetis both froze. "Shades". Their daughter had mentioned that word before, associated with a horrifying organization that had terrorized Vale for several months. The Order. Peleus was suddenly operating on instinct rather than logic. Without thinking, he pulled out his scroll and began writing a message to his daughter. He had to keep her safe.

 _"Pyrrha, I know this is very sudden, but I need you to not return to Mistral during your break. There's-"_ Thetis let out a choked sound, causing Peleus to stop and lift his head. He was suddenly thrown to the ground, his scroll landing beside him. A small, but surprisingly strong hand was placed over his mouth. A woman or girl, Peleus couldn't tell, had appeared out of nowhere. She wore something resembling a straightjacket, as well as a helmet with no eyes. She was holding Peleus with one hand, and silencing Thetis with the other.

"Thank you, Enigma." Agony strode over to the masked girl and looked down at her two captives. "And here I thought we might get along. Enigma. Take them back to the flagship and put them in a holding cell. Then pass on commands to our scouting teams to continue their search."

"... As... you... wish... my... Lord..." the girl's voice almost sounded like it hurt for her to speak.

"Move along, then. I believe I have a plan coming together." The Lord did not notice Peleus manage to hit the scroll's "send" button with his foot.

* * *

 _ **Barnes' Log: Bloodlines, Part 3**_

 _"Okay... time for the next part of this... Since you let me know that you were only more interested in the 'big players' back home... that really only leaves two, Ignis and Agony."_

 _"Ignis was the right hand Lord to Esprit when he was still in charge of the Order. As the Bloodline of Flame, he has total control over fire. His weapon of choice was a blade that could be split into a whip-like form when heated. Personally, I didn't like the kid. Maybe it was the bad blood between the Order and EDC..."_

 _"Agony... well, truth be told I can't say anything meaningful about him. What little I saw of Agony in action was from the battle that brought the EDC to Remnant. His weapon of choice was a large mace. Before he took over the Order, Agony spent his time heading up the "research division" of the organization. Most of the technology the Order used was created by him."_

 _"... And... I guess that's it. I'll record more later. Barnes out."_

* * *

 **A/N: Nothing really much to say for this one. I think it turned out fairly well.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES**

 **None today.**


	8. Chapter 7

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 7**_

"Alright, is everyone ready to get going?" Ruby cheerily asked her gathered group of groggy team and friends. They all stood with their bags on the Beacon landing pad, awaiting flights to their various destinations.

"I kinda wish the flights weren't so early in the morning..." Ryland yawned.

"From what Alex has said about some of your missions, I'd have thought you'd be used to early starts." Luna commented before letting out a yawn of her own. She leaned into Alex, resting her head on his shoulder. Out of everyone, the blond soldier seemed to be the only one, other than Ruby, not falling asleep on his feet.

"I think that's Weiss' ride coming in now." Alex pointed to a large dustplane floating towards the landing pad.

"Yes, I believe it is." the Schnee nodded as she picked up her luggage. "I hope all of you enjoy your trip as well."

"Tell Charles, Winter, and Anise we say 'hi'!" Yang called as Weiss waved and boarded the transport.

"I will! See you all later!" the snow-haired student shouted back before the door of the aircraft closed behind her and the other passengers headed to Atlas. The dustplane's engines roared as it pushed itself back into the sky, leaving Ruby, Alex, and the others standing on the landing pad.

"Well, if the timing's right, that's your flight coming in next." Dimitri commented, nodding his head towards a rapidly approaching small dot in the distance.

"Yeah, that's probably it." Ruby agreed, hefting her backpack onto her shoulder. "See ya later, Mr. Dimitri, Miss Firo, Blake!"

"Bye, Ruby." Blake waved to her team leader.

"Make sure to take care of Dimitri for me, okay Blake?" Alex joked, causing the Russian and his two Faunus companions to let out small chuckles of amusement.

"I'll be sure to do that." Blake smiled.

"Go on, Boss, get going." Dimitri laughed. "If you keep trying to be funny, you'll miss your flight and put Ryland out of a job."

"Alright. Take care, D." Alex nodded to his friend, hefting his own baggage and moving towards the transport.

"You too." the Russian waved to his departing friend.

* * *

In another part of Beacon academy, an odd trio of students prepared for a trip of their own. Arthur, Anika, and Emerald made up a small unofficial team, formed in the aftermath of the events at the temple two years prior.

The three of them had spent the weeks leading up to their break planning what they were going to do. They'd eventually decided on taking an extended journey through Forever Fall. It'd serve as both a camping trip and a training camp of sorts.

"Did you already pack the emergency kit?" Anika asked the other girl on her team.

"Hm?" Emerald's head bobbed up from the bag she was looking in, causing her mint-colored hair to jump slightly. "Oh, yeah, I think I saw Arthur pack it earlier."

"Someone mention me?" Arthur asked as he stepped into the room. He was holding a trio of plates loaded with food, of which he placed two next to his female teammates. "Figured you both would be getting hungry by now as well."

"Thanks, Arthur." Emerald smiled.

"Any time, Em." the long-haired blond responded happily.

"Sorry to break you lovebirds up for a moment, but have you seen the emergency kit?" Anika asked, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly.

"Yeah, I packed it in one of the large backpacks earlier."

"Which one?"

"Blue one, I think."

"Yup. Got it, thanks." Anika reported as she checked the pack and found the box of first-aid materials. She sat down with her legs crossed and pulled the plate Arthur had left towards her. She took the sandwich and bit into it.

"So, how close are we to being ready?" Arthur inquired, sitting down on the floor next to Emerald.

"Couple of hours or so, maybe." the mint-haired girl answered. "We should probably let everyone know we're leaving soon."

"Yeah, we-" Arthur started before a loud thump from the other side of the hall cut him off. "Huh? What's that?"

"Sounds like someone slammed a door." Anika said, swallowing her last bite of food and sticking her head out the room's entryway. All the other dorm rooms' door remained open and devoid of their occupants except for one. "Looks like somebody from JNPR's here."

"Really? I thought they all left already."

"Should we go check it out?" Emerald asked, rising from her place on the floor by using Arthur's shoulder to lift herself up. She extended a hand to the seated male of their trio.

"Yeah. Let's make sure everything's okay." Arthur nodded, accepting Emerald's help to his feet. The trio brushed themselves off quickly before striding over to their neighboring team's dorm room. Anika took the lead and knocked softly on the closed door. The three of them waited several moments, only to be greeted with silence from within the sealed room. Anika knocked once again and gave the occupant another few seconds to possibly respond. No answer. "We're gonna come in, okay?" Anika warned through the door. When only more silence filled the hall, the EDC sniper turned to Arthur and Emerald, who both gave silent affirming nods. With a quick intake of breath, Anika turned the doorknob and pushed the entryway open.

* * *

The trio was greeted with the sight of a mop of red hair laying face down on their bed, a packed suitcase tossed frustratedly beside them on the floor. Arthur stepped into the room first, turning back to his two teammates with a questioning look when they didn't follow. They both responded with shrugs and stares that clearly said "you're the people person." Arthur sighed to himself and turned back to the girl currently sulking in the room.

"Pyrrha, is everything alright?" He asked, giving her a single nudge on her shoulder with his palm. The red-haired girl seemed to suddenly notice she had company, and jolted into a sitting position.

"Arthur! Goodness, you frightened me." Pyrrha stammered out, quickly trying to get her long hair out of her face. After realizing the futility of her attempts to make herself presentable, she simply placed her arms in her lap. "I thought the three of you would have left by now. Hello, Emerald, Anika." she greeted the other two members of Arthur's team as she noticed their presence.

"We were going to head out fairly soon, but we heard you slam the door."

"I suppose I did close it a bit too hard. I'm sorry for making startling you all." the Mistral girl replied. She was attempting to keep a calm face, but her eyes kept darting towards Arthur, known for his ability to read people.

"Pyrrha." Arthur said, his tone showing that he knew she was hiding something, "What's wrong?"

"I knew I wouldn't be able to hide it from you..." she sighed. "I received a message from my father sometime yesterday, but I didn't see it until a while ago, telling me not to travel back to Mistral."

"Did he say why?"

"No. The message just cut off suddenly. Not that he hasn't done that before."

"Are you worried he's in trouble?" Anika inquired, leaning against the room's door frame.

"I doubt he is. I tried to contact him this morning, but he didn't answer, so the Mistral Senate likely has him too busy to take calls. It wouldn't be the first time. But this is the first time he's told me not to return home."

"So you're stuck here on your own, then?" Emerald asked with a tilt of her head.

"So it would seem."

"Well, in that case, why don't you tag along with us?" Arthur said thoughtfully. "You've already got a bag packed and everything."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude on your-"

"Nah, it's nothing." Emerald smiled and cut Pyrrha off. "Would be wrong of us as your friends to just leave you here all by yourself."

"I don't want you to feel like to you need to invite me out of-" the redhead started before being interrupted again by a wave of Emerald's hand.

"It's fine. I tried to invite Cinder earlier, but she chickened out. We've got room for more people, really."

The Mistral girl opened and closed her mouth silently a few times, before placing her hand over her mouth in thought. She left out a soft sigh and lifted her head, letting a small smile cross her face.

"Very well. I will join you on your trip. Thank you for having me."

"It's nice to have you aboard."

* * *

"How big is this damn forest!?" Alyia demanded into the sky.

"Likely the same size since the last time you asked." Ignis replied flatly.

"Not helping, Ryan."

"I could burn it down if that would make you feel better. Might thin out those creatures as well." the Bloodline of Flame pondered out loud.

"Sven's right, you haven't quite grasped the whole 'don't take unnecessary hostile action' thing, have you?"

"Reaper's heart is far too soft." the ex-Lord stated. "He'd have us take twice as long to fulfill a task that would take mere moments."

"Maybe, but that's why he's a good leader. He took pointers from the best, after all."

"... I suppose I cannot exactly argue with that..." Ignis conceded. "If he was a colder warrior, I would likely be dead several times over."

"See? Even you can't-" Alyia was cut off as she collided with Ignis' back. He had stopped suddenly. "What's- mmrph!" She was silenced as her companion placed a palm over her mouth.

"We are not alone." he whispered. Alyia's stance tensed, and she nodded her understanding. He removed his hand and reached for his weapon. With one swift motion, Ignis simultaneously drew and heated his blade, causing it to flash and flare through the air in a vicious slash through the trees. Two pairs of black-armored forms were flushed from their hiding spots. "Order scouts."

"Shit, he noticed us." one of the foes said, dropping into a readied stance and drawing a curved knife. The scout had only a moment to process as Alyia flipped one of her pistols out of its holster and leveled it at him. A searing plasma projectile slammed into the Knight, sending him sprawling across the leaf-laden ground. The other three scouts acted quickly, charging the pair of Bloodlines in a vain attempt to kill them. Alyia planted two more shots into the oncoming soldiers, while Ignis simply knocked the last one to the ground with an idle swing of his gauntlet. The Bloodline of Flame caught sight of the lead scout rise to his feet, his chest smoking lightly from Alyia's attack.

"... Must... report... to-" the leader breathed heavily and began to gather energy around him. Ignis closed on the man in a few strides, reaching out for his neck. In a sudden blur of movement, Alyia saw her fellow Bloodline vanish into thin air along with the scout.

"Ryan!"

* * *

Ignis felt a wave of nausea pass over him as he grabbed the scout and crushed his windpipe in his hand. Before he could process what had happened, he found himself roughly dumped into a pile of sand beside the now-deceased Order soldier. A wave of heat much greater than that of the forest washed over him. Around him was a vast expanse of desert. As far as he could see, sand stretched out in every direction. Ignis threw an accusing look at the scout's body.

"Goddamn teleporters."

* * *

 _ **B**_ _ **arnes' Log:**_ _ **The Order**_

 _"Well... I knew I'd end up talking about this eventually. To say the least, it's... complicated."_

 _"_ _The Order first showed up around forty years ago on Earth. It was formed by Auras fed up with being persecuted and hunted down by normal people._ _They were angry... and that's something I understand a bit better now. Truth be told, I feel guilty for being so zealous back when I was still in the field."_

 _"_ _The EDC swooped in pretty quickly to try and quell the fighting, but for every month we continued, their numbers just seemed to grow. Turns out, as we were killing them, we just ended up rallying more Auras to their cause. Then they started making Shades, and it just went downhill even more from there."_

 _"_ _... Dammit... Then there was the complete shit-show that was 'Silver Bullet'. EDC command sent myself and a handful of other commanders in to try to smother the Order early on... I was younger then, only thirty or so at the time. We were supposed to capture lead elements of the Order so we could force a ceasefire, but one of my fellow commanders, bastard that he was, completely botched it. He ordered his men to execute the prisoners, and then it just all went to hell... Once the bullets started flying... everyone just shot back... even me..."_

 _"Dammit, Ozpin, I shot a kid that day, probably not a day older than one of the students here at the academy. I'm lucky that Charles and his friend, Aiko, showed up when they did. I'd be dead otherwise."_

 _"_ _... Right... the Order... Basic structure is fairly simple. Shades in multiple varieties make up the bulk of their fighting force, Acolytes are the lowest ranked Human members, Knights are effectively field commanders, and Lords are their leaders and are all Bloodlines."_

 _"_ _I'm going to... go help Cinder... Barnes out."_

* * *

 **A/N:** **MORE SETUP!**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **REVIEW REPLIES:**

 **Skaana: Yup.**


	9. Chapter 8

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 8**_

The sun set over a frontier town with no name. The collection of buildings within a small perimeter wall beside a mountain stood as a testament to a failed mining endeavor of the Schnee Dust Company some thirty years prior. When the Dust mine had dried up far more quickly than anticipated, the SDC had packed up its bags and left the people it had promised a better life to fend for themselves within the dying town. Most had left immediately, but some determined settlers had attempted to tough out a living from the land, farming in the hard soil or scrounging whatever Dust they could from the abandoned mine.

Recently, however, a greater darkness had fallen over the town. In the middle of the night, cloaked men and women had taken the whole town hostage. The townsfolk were roughly shoved into cages, left to starve while the seemingly fanatical invaders raided their town.

"Brother Meurig. I believe it is time for the next offering, is it not?" a hooded Faunus said thoughtfully, his feet lifted onto the mayor's desk in the town hall. "We must thank our God for blessing us with this fine plunder."

"Indeed, Father Kaage. Perhaps we shall offer two today?" another man, this one Human, nodded promptly.

"That is a fine idea, Brother." Kaage replied happily. "Select the two most promising from our stock, and see them on their way." The Father and his follower rose from their seats, leaving the mayor's office and striding down a set of curved stairs into the lobby below. Over a dozen rusted cages lined the wall underneath the stairway, containing the captured townspeople, who cowered at the very sight of the two men. A pair of cloaked figures guarding the enclosures bowed deeply as the Father and his right-hand approached.

"Are you here to choose today's offerings?" one of them rasped.

"We are." Brother Meurig affirmed before stepping past them to observe the occupants of the cages. "Perfect. Those two, the children. They will do nicely." He pointed to a brother and sister with green hair. The other two cloaked figures nodded, quickly pulling the pair of frightened children from their cage. The townspeople began to beg for the lives of the twins, as they did everyday for every person taken. As usual they were ignored. With swift motions, their throats were cut, and a pair of bodies were left to bleed out onto the floor.

"May He feast tonight." Father Kaage chanted, bowing towards the bodies as he did. The crazed Faunus shot into a standing position as the double doors of the town hall were kicked inward. A pale youth dressed in black armor strode in casually. A pair of red eyes observed the lobby and its occupants from behind a curtain of unruly ghostly white hair. Despite the fresh blood on the floor and the general feeling in the air, the youth had a toothy grin on. A black wolf with glowing eyes padded in behind him, circling to his right. He locked eyes with Kaage.

"Goddamn. You lot are doing this all wrong."

"INTRUDER! OPEN FIRE!"

"Oh. Alright then."

* * *

"Welcome to Patch!" Ruby said, spreading her arms wide as she led her friends off the dustplane. Unlike the landing pads in Vale, Patch's airport consisted of only a small terminal and a large dirt-covered clearing, in which their transport was currently grounded.

"It's beautiful here!" Luna said enthusiastically, keeping pace with the rapidly bouncing cloaked girl while the other three members of their group trailed a short distance behind them. Alex found himself agreeing with Luna's sentiments towards Patch. There were no walls within sight, no tall buildings, and the air held a calm and clean feeling.

"Come on, Alex! I want to show you and Luna around!" Ruby called to the blond soldier.

"Shouldn't we meet with your Dad first-" Alex began, only to be cut off as Yang grabbed his bag from his hand.

"She's been going crazy waiting to introduce you guys to our home. I'll make sure the bags and Ry reach the house in one piece." Ruby's sister assured. "Though, I can't say whether or not Ry'll still be alright by the time you get there." Alex chuckled as he noticed how the orange-haired engineer's face visibly paled at Yang's statement.

"You'll be fine, Ryland. I'm sure Yang's just joking."

"I'm having a hard time keeping myself convinced that she is." the young man breathed heavily. A puff of air was knocked from him as Yang roughly hooked her arm around his shoulder.

"Don't worry! Dad won't break anything too important." She smiled.

"I'll take your word for it." Ryland said.

"That's the spirit." Yang leaned in and kissed the boy on the cheek. "He'll do fine, Alex. We'll see you later, okay?"

"Sure thing, Yang." Alex nodded. "I should probably catch up before Ruby and Luna get too far. See you both later." He took off after the pair of retreating crimson and azure girls.

"Hey, Bossman!" Ryland called, "If I'm dead by the time you get there, Carbon gets all my stuff!"

* * *

Peleus Nikos shuddered as he awoke, suddenly becoming aware of the frigid air around him. A slight rustle and brush of a soft hand against his arm alerted him to the presence of his wife. They were being held in a dark room, illuminated only by a single light on the ceiling. The Senator and his wife were tied back to back in a pair of metal chairs in the center of the room.

"Thetis, are you alright?" Peleus asked worriedly, grasping her hand as best he could.

"Y-yes." She leaned her head back into him. "I'm alright, just... shaken."

"That's relieving to know..."

"Indeed. It wouldn't do for the two of you to die before I was able to glean anything from you." A third voice announced from within the deep shadows of the room. Agony stepped into the light. "You two are going to tell me everything about your world."

"'O-our world'?" Thetis stammered at the man's voice. It had lost all sense of charm and tact, instead being replaced with a cold and calculating menace. "What do you mean by that?"

"All will become clear in time." Agony replied calmly. He hefted a small object in his hand. Peleus' scroll. "This device has given me some small amount of insight into your home... but, please..." He pulled up a third chair from out of the shadows and sat down, setting the scroll off to the side. "I'd love to hear more from the both of you."

* * *

"... Well. That was interesting." Chaos muttered, gazing over the blood-covered town hall. After all that effort in even finding a town not devoid of people, and he'd had to kill all of them. The cages were filled with the wound-ridden remains of the townsfolk, caught in the crossfire between Chaos and the now-dismembered cultists. His sole Fenrir looked at him expectantly, awaiting further commands. "No point in staying here, I guess..."

 _My God... All these years, and you're still as incapable as ever. You can't even restrain yourself property._ A woman's voice whispered. After he had been injured in his fight with Greene and his friends, Chaos had been plagued by this voice.

"...Shut up..." the white-haired Bloodline's eyes narrowed as he hissed at the voice.

 _If you were half the Chaos I or any of your other predecessors were, you'd never have lost to that worthless excuse for a soldier._

"...Um...excuse me-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Chaos roared. He stopped suddenly, realizing a new voice had traveled through the air. He turned towards the soft sound's origin. In the doorway stood a young woman with shining silver hair and sapphire-like eyes.

"Are you... the one who did this?" She asked, surprisingly composed in the face of the blood, viscera, and potential murderer, though her rapidly darting eyes betrayed at least a hint of fear.

"Yup." Chaos readopted his manic grin. The girl took a step back.

 _Idiot. Enough prattling and posing. Kill this one like the others and be on your way. We have to correct your failures._

"Shut up." Chaos' eye twitched as he tried to hold his smile.

"I didn't-" the girl started.

"Not you. Still... guess she has a point..." the ex-Lord sighed. "Usually I'd spend more time with you... but, I'm going to have to ask you to die quickly, alright?" Before the girl could respond, Chaos summoned his shadowy blades and sent them rushing towards her. She disappeared behind a wall of slashes in an instant.

Chaos sighed again. At least doing as the voice said got it to be quiet for a bit. Still, he'd been denied his chance at a little enjoyment, and that disappointed him. He suddenly became aware of the lack of blood and screams. For the first time in many years, Chaos was struck silent. His mouth hung open dumbly as the silver-haired girl stood completely unharmed where she had been. Something instinctual kicked on in Chaos' mind, causing him to back away from the girl.

"What the hell!? What are you!?"

* * *

"DA~AD! I'M HOME!" Yang yelled loudly as she pushed her way through the door of her childhood house. A blond man rushed into the entryway, throwing him arms around the girl and lifting her into the air.

"Yang! I've missed you!" the man said, spinning once in place while still managing to hold up both the student and the heavy bags she was carrying with seemingly no effort. Ryland found himself smiling as he watched this exchange take place.

"Dad, stop! I've got someone important for you to meet!" Yang laughed. Her father chuckled and set his daughter down. Ryland's arm was quickly grabbed by his girlfriend, and he was pulled forward into the house. "Dad, this is Ry. Ry, this is my Dad, Taiyang Xiao Long."

"H-hello, Mr. Xiao Long." Ryland greeted. "I'm Ryland Felstrand. It's nice to meet you in perso-" The young engineer's left hand was suddenly being shaken by a very enthusiastic Taiyang.

"Great to finally meet the man who managed to capture my Yang's heart! I hope that-" Taiyang suddenly seemed to notice that the palm he had grabbed was not flesh and bone. "Oh. What happened?" Ryland noticed Yang flinch involuntarily.

"He... uh... lost it protecting me..." the blonde girl said guiltily. Taiyang looked from his daughter to her boyfriend. A smile broke out across his face, and Ryland suddenly found himself in a crushing hug.

"You're a brave man, Ryland. Thank you for keeping my Yang alive!" the orange-haired engineer struggled to make a sound of acknowledgment as his ribs were being crushed. "Be sure to let me know when the wedding is!"

"Dad!" Yang shouted, her face suddenly turning a bright red. Taiyang chuckled and set Ryland down, allowing the younger man to catch his breath.

"Y'know, when you said your Dad might break something, I figured it would be because he _didn't_ like me." Ryland breathed.

"Well, if you're gonna be part of this family, you're probably going to have to get used to the cracked ribs." Taiyang laughed. "Alright, enough standing in the entryway. Come on in."

Yang's father led the both of them into a decently spacious living room, where two couches flanked a single large rectangular coffee table. The blond man quickly seated his daughter and her boyfriend on one of the couches. He was about seat himself as well, before being interrupted by the entryway bursting open.

"Behold! My house!" Ruby said dramatically, stepping over the threshold. Ryland and Yang both smiled at her entrance, while Taiyang quickly went to welcome his youngest daughter home. A slight jingling caught their attention as a black and white corgi bounced towards the sound of the cloaked girl's voice. "Dad! Zwei!" Ruby threw herself at the man and dog excitedly, wrapping her arms around both of them. Alex and Luna entered into the house behind the student, both politely introducing themselves to Taiyang.

"Well... judging by the noise... the kids are home." a tired voice stated. The stairs to the house's second floor creaked as a dark-haired man descended. He wore an odd mix of formal and casual clothing, with a buttoned shirt and black pants, but a tattered cape hanging behind him.

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby shouted excitedly, meeting the man halfway down the stairs. He pat her head gently.

"Hey, Kiddos. How've you both been?"

"We've been great!" the cloaked girl answered with a grin. Taiyang allowed Ruby to catch up with Qrow and turned back to his other guests. He caught sight of Ryland wincing slightly, as if he were in minor pain.

"Hey, Ryland, I didn't actually break something, did I? Your aura's taking its time fixing you up." Ruby bounded back down the stairs and came to a halt next to her father.

"He doesn't have an aura, Da-mmrph!" She started helpfully before Yang rushed up and clamped a hand over her mouth.

"What?" Taiyang asked, puzzled by his daughter's action.

"She was saying that Ryland's aura is usually run out because of the work he and Alex do. Right, Ruby?" Yang explained nervously, letting her sister go.

"Er-Yeah!" Ruby joined her sibling in grinning uneasily. She had forgotten that Ozpin had asked them not to spread the information about Alex, Ryland, and the others around too much. While quite a few "higher-ups" were aware of the people from Earth, the general public was not.

"Really?" Qrow inquired as he finished his slow trip down the stairway. "Then how come your blue-haired friend's still got her aura?" He nodded towards Luna.

"Oh- I- Well-" the Atlesian woman stammered as she tried to find an explanation. Alex sighed and placed a hand on Luna's shoulder to let her know she could stop trying to find an excuse. Ryland leaned his head back to look at the ceiling with an exasperated breath of his own. Ruby smiled sheepishly as an awkward silence fell over the house.

"Well? Explain." Taiyang said, crossing his arms.

"Oh, boy..." Ryland spoke up, "have we got a story for you."

* * *

"... So... Yang... you're... dating a boy from another world." were the first words out of Taiyang's mouth once Alex and Ryland had finished explaining their origins from Earth. After their tale, Taiyang and Qrow had sat in silent thought for several minutes while the rest sat across from them at the coffee table in abject silence.

"Er... Yes." Yang admitted.

"... And you and Ruby both went on a dangerous mission without telling me... to defeat an organization of crazed maniacs with powers that made semblances look like jokes... alongside a bunch of people, some of which didn't have any aura or power of any kind? Did I get all of that?"

"Y-yeah..." Ruby answered, pushing her two pointer fingers together. Her father nodded his acknowledgment.

"... Well, all that's going to take a while to process..." Qrow commented from his seat beside Taiyang. The blond man sighed and rose from his seat. He took a deep breath before readopting a pleasant welcoming grin.

"Ah, well, there's no point in worrying too much about it. Alex and Ryland both seem like good people, regardless of whether they've got auras or not. So, girls, gentlemen, and lady, before I disappear to get us all some food, let me officially welcome you to Patch."

"He's taking this exceptionally well." Ryland quipped, only for Yang to lightly slap him in the side.

* * *

Back in Vale, Blake sat herself down next to Firo and Dimitri at a table in the dorm building's common area. It was a comfortable place, with several large tables and bookshelves scattered about atop a fluffy rug.

"You weren't too bored without your friends today, were you?" Firo asked Blake worriedly.

"I was fine, Firo. I know you and Dimitri can't spend every waking moment with me, so I just took some time to catch up on my reading."

"Read anything interesting lately?" Dimitri inquired, giving Blake a light hug.

"I found a fascinating old book about the tales behind Remnant's stars in the library." the student explained. "For example, the ancient people of Vale used to believe that every star represented someone's life."

"That sounds like a story my father used to tell me." Firo said thoughtfully. "He used to tell me a version of the Tale of the Seasons where the maidens became a cluster of four stars in the night sky to watch over Remnant."

"'Tale of the Seasons'?" Dimitri asked.

"An old story about four sisters granted great power in exchange for helping an old man." Firo quickly explained. "Here, I can show you both the stars I meant." The rabbit Faunus led her two companions to a large window and pushed it open. Cold night air flooded the common area as Firo pointed to the sky, looking for her stars. "Huh?"

"What's wrong?" Blake inquired as Firo let out a confused gasp.

"The stars... they're..." Dimitri leaned his head out the window and followed his companion's gaze. Hanging in the sky were the four glowing orbs Firo had been searching for, but something was off. Instead of gently twinkling like their fellow stars, the maiden stars slowly dimmed and brightened. It was as if they were dying.

* * *

 _ **B**_ _ **arnes' Log:**_ _ **A Message to Cinder Fall**_

 _"Cinder, I realize that I've been leaving you on your own a lot recently without much explanation, and I apologize for that. However, despite my absence, you've done a brilliant job keeping your head above water in terms of the amount of paperwork I left you with."_

 _"_ _Two years ago, I saw a great amount of potential in you. I can say with certainty that you've lived up to that potential and gone even further than I could have hoped. You have displayed tactical genius to rival some of Earth's best strategists, and have proven yourself to be a true companion to the members of the EDC."_

 _"..._ _I have a confession to make. James and Ozpin still don't completely trust you, and they asked me to conduct a rather thorough series of checks on you. I told them that you've_ _dedicated_ _the last two years to making up for your mistakes, but I guess their bad blood with you runs pretty deep._ _They will probably conduct investigations of their own, and I just thought it would only be fair to give you a proper warning ahead of time."_

 _"_ _On a slightly happier note, and as an apology for being unable to do more, you should take the rest of the week off. Young folk like yourself deserve to spend some time doing as you wish. Take care, Cinder. Barnes out."_

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES:**

 **Welcometodalolz: The plot will only get thicker from here on.**


	10. Chapter 9

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 9**_

"WE~ISS!" the younger Schnee sister heard a happy squeal as she stepped off the dustplane she had ridden to Atlas. A small, dark-haired girl collided with her chest and threw her arms around the snow-haired girl. Weiss quickly knelt to return the warm hug.

"Hello, Anise."

"How've you been? Have you been on any adventures? Tell me!" the little girl asked excitedly.

"Give Weiss a chance to breathe there, Anise." a third voice interjected. "Let's allow her to settle in before we interrogate her." A bearded man in a ragged trenchcoat stepped closer to the two girls. "Welcome home, Weiss."

"Hello, Charles." Weiss smiled, standing and giving the man a quick embrace. She picked up her luggage in one hand, while Anise hung happily off the other. "Well, shall we be off?"

* * *

"Thetis?" Peleus whispered to his wife. "Are you awake?"

"Yes." she quietly replied. The two of them had been moved to a single holding cell since Agony had finished questioning them. It was cramped, cube-shaped, and had a wall made of slightly opaque reinforced glass. The two of them had to speak quietly to avoid being overheard by the pair of armored guards standing on the other side of the glass. "What is it?"

"I-" Peleus quickly looked at the guards, who happened to be facing away. "I got my hands on this." He held out a small object in his hand.

"A pin?" Thetis asked, keeping a wary eye on their captors. "Where did you find it?"

"Underneath one of the beds. I assume from the last person they kept in here."

"You plan for us to escape?"

"Yes." Peleus nodded. "I've been keeping track of the guards' shifts. In a few hours, we'll have a window of several minutes to get out and find an exit."

"It sounds like an awful risk."

"It will be, but we should be capable of fighting our way out as long as we don't encounter that girl in the mask."

"Very well, Peleus. As I have for many years, I will follow you wherever you go."

* * *

"Winter! Weiss is here!" Anise called as she bounded forward into the foyer of the Schnee mansion. The smile on her face was replaced with a look of confusion as she noticed a man in a business suit already occupying a spot near the bottom of the foyer's twin staircases.

"Oh. You must be Anise." the man said idly. He had long black hair, which shone in a way that made it look almost slimy. He had sharp, vulture-like features and a voice to match. He leaned over to observe Anise as if he were studying an interesting laboratory specimen. "I regret to inform you that I have matters of utmost importance to discuss with Director Schnee, and that she may not have the time to-"

"I always make time for my family, Doctor Oleum." Winter interrupted as she appeared at the top of the stairs. "My discussion with you about providing funding and supplies to your division can wait another day or two." She glared icily at the scientist.

"I'm afraid it cannot, Director Schnee. The Atlas Council demands that-"

"If the Council wishes to use my family's company's Dust, then it will be on my terms and time." Winter spat. "Be sure to pass that on when you report back to them."

"Very well. If that is what you wish." Oleum bowed slightly and scuttled past the trio standing in the doorway watching the exchange. Anise and Weiss felt shivers run down their spines as the unsettling doctor passed them. Winter let out a relieved sigh, noticeably relaxing when the door shut behind the man.

"Thank goodness that's over." the older Schnee sister breathed, taking long strides down the stairs to meet the people she actually wished to be around. "Weiss, welcome home." Winter wrapped her sibling in a tight hug, a warm grin on her face.

"It's good to see you, Winter. How've you been?"

"That shouldn't be a mystery to you. You check in on me at least twice a week." the older Schnee giggled. "I've been fine, Charles and Anise have been taking care of me."

"You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get her to go to sleep sometimes." Charles laughed.

"I blocked her door once so she'd take a day off." Anise supplied with no remorse on her face as she said it. Weiss couldn't help but stifle a laugh at how stoically the girl recounted her actions.

"I'm glad to hear the two of them are doing their best keeping you healthy."

* * *

"Thetis. It's time." Peleus whispered, shaking his wife's shoulder. She gave him a silent nod as he used the pin to unscrew and pry off a small panel that made up the door's electronic lock. Inside were small engraved notations, denoting what all the internal wires were connected to. "That certainly makes things easier." With a quick tug, Peleus ripped any wires marked as "Lock: On" from their places. The door's mechanism seemed to grow confused for a moment, before emitting a soft click. Peleus couldn't believe his luck, and nudged the door of the cell open. He and Thetis quickly made their way out of the prison, keeping a careful eye out for any guards.

"It's quiet." Thetis commented.

"Yes it is." Peleus agreed, growing suspicious of the sudden lack on any other signs of life around. He peered out the doorway of the prison into the rest of the location they were being held in. To his confusion, the halls remained devoid of any movement, Human or otherwise. "Where did they all go?"

"Don't question it right now. We need to get out." Thetis whispered, gently placing her hand on her husband's shoulder.

"Right." Peleus nodded, stepping quietly out into the open hallway. The pair picked their way further and further down the metal halls of the Order vessel. Doors into other sections of the ship lined the walls, one of which caught Peleus' eyes. "A hangar."

"Perhaps we can take one of their transports?" Thetis suggested.

"Assuming we can fly it, that's a possibility." Peleus pressed a button on the side of the door, causing it to slid upward with a hiss. The two of them hurriedly entered into another short corridor connected to an absolutely massive room. The hangar was huge, large enough to house an Atlesian warship with ease. The sheer size of the vessel suddenly struck Peleus. He could only imagine what kind of havoc it could unleash if its masters desired. A line of black-painted craft near the edge of the hangar's massive blastdoor caught Thetis' attention. She pointed to them silently. With a nod, Peleus took the lead as they approached the craft.

The absolute lack on any other life planted a seed of unease in Peleus' chest. His eyes darted between shadows, fearing the sudden appearance of the masked girl that Agony commanded. He and Thetis reached the transports seemingly unnoticed. Out of curiosity, Peleus looked over the edge of the ship. Below them was a cliff above the ocean, preceded by a frightening drop of at least a hundred feet by Peleus' estimate. It was possible that he and Thetis could survive the descent if they landed in the water, but it wasn't a route he was keen on trying.

"Leaving so soon?" a deep voice questioned, accompanied by the sound of metal against metal. The Nikos couple froze in abject horror as a group of armored men and women entered into the hangar. At their head was a massive figure encased in twisted black metal with four prosthetic limbs exposed to the light.

"Your commands, Lord Carnage?" one of the Order soldiers asked.

"Let me handle this, Knight." the large man said. Peleus noticed a strange distortion to his voice. "I want to test myself against the people of this world."

"As you wish, sir!" the Knight saluted and took several steps back, signaling his fellows to lower their weapons. Carnage stepped forward, locking his skull-like helmet on the Nikos pair. Peleus saw the visage shift as the skull smiled. A small realization made the Senator flinch in horror. The helmet _was_ Carnage's face.

"Prepare yourselves!" the Lord yelled as he rushed forward. Thetis snapped her fingers, activating her semblance and calling forth a serpent-like wave of flame.

"Peleus! Get on a transport and-" Thetis had to duck under a swipe from one of Carnage's arms as the Lord barreled through her attack, the flames scorching the paint from his armor.

"Your fire is strong, but not as powerful as Ignis' flames." Carnage informed her, bring a metal leg down in an attempt to crush her. Thetis rolled to the side, flinching at the shrill sound of the hangar floor denting. She quickly sent more flaming serpents into the Lord's face, which seemed to do little beyond amusing the metal giant. "Pathetic."

"THETIS! MOVE!" Peleus yelled, activating his own semblance to create and throw an icy spear at Carnage. The weapon shattered against the Lord's armor, but left a noticeable gash in the black metal. Thetis attempted to take the momentary lapse in the giant's attention to change position. She felt her leg emit a sickening snap as a metal hand closed around it. She cried out in pain as the bone shattered effortlessly in the Lord's hand. "Thetis!"

"If this is the best your world can offer, the Order can certainly rise to victory in time." Carnage laughed, joined by his men. "Agony would want me to simply put you both back in your cage, but I think you need incentive to not try escaping again." Carnage reached down, gripping Thetis by her neck and lifting her into the air.

"No!" Peleus screamed.

"Peleus... ru-" Thetis let out a feeble cry before she was silenced with a sickening crack.

"Now then." Carnage said, dropping Thetis' body to the ground, where she lay motionless. "If you would be so kind as to return to your-" Peleus turned and ran, making his way to the edge of the hangar. "DO NOT LET HIM ESCAPE!"

The Senator felt a torrent of bullets graze by him, felt a bullet tear through his aura and continue through his abdomen, but he kept running. His aura was still up, which was all he would need. Either he'd get away, or he'd join Thetis. The cliff and ocean were suddenly beneath him as he leaped off the edge.

Carnage rushed to the side of the hangar and glared over the side. Instead of the red splatter he'd hoped to see, a circle of foam was clearly visible in the water below. He let out a roar of frustration and grabbed the Knight that accompanied him.

"AFTER HIM!"

* * *

"How's it coming, Sam?" Sven asked, leaning against one of the metal support beams his fellow Guardian had set up in the process of building his prototype gateway. "Any word on an ETA?"

"I may move fast, but every time you ask that, it takes a little longer." Sam replied, not removing his attention from his work. "I'm worried about them too, trust me, but we need this thing to work correctly, and I need to make sure it does."

"I know. I have faith in your work." Sven sighed. "I just feel kind of useless... I don't have any technical know-how, so I can only wait and watch..."

"Can't really say anything about that last bit, but you'd better have faith in my work after wearing my armor designs for over a decade." Sam said. "I suppose I can only tell you to remember that each of us is good at our own thing, and that we can't always be in our own element. I'm good at building stuff, Rei's good at punching tanks in, you're more of a people-person than pretty much any of us besides Elaine and Elise."

"And Arthur." Sven added sadly.

"Yeah... and Arthur."

"... What are the both of you talking about?" Rei inquired as he approached his friends.

"Nothing, really. Sam's just having trouble beating perspective into my thick skull." Sven answered calmly.

"That's an understatement. So, Rei, how'd things go on your end?"

"EDC-MATF's set up a perimeter around your project here, they'll keep an eye out for any prying eyes." the Rage Inheritor replied. "I also set up arrangements for the kids. They'll be staying with Ena for a while."

"You sure your wife can handle two more little Bloodlines running around?" Sven asked jokingly.

"She's already gotten Hiro in line, Devin and Ember won't be a problem." the slightest hint of a smile played across Rei's face as he mentioned his son. "On that subject, how're both your kids doing?"

"Gil's doing fine. Elaine's teaching him how to handle things around the house right now." Sven grinned.

"Yvonne's always glued to either me or her mother." Sam answered while continuing to fiddle with the gateway device. "If she keeps learning as fast as she is right now, she'll be smarter than me and stronger than Crys by the time she's fifteen."

"Huh." Sven made a sound of amusement. "Listen to us, discussing our families like a bunch of old men."

"Sirs!" an EDC scout ran over to the trio of Guardians. "We have possible contacts at the south edge of the perimeter!" The three white-armored figures nodded, adopting more fitting expressions for the report.

"You two deal with that. I've got to keep working." Sam said.

"Got it. Corporal, point us in the right direction, then tighten the perimeter around the gateway." Sven ordered. "We'll handle this."

* * *

"Well, well. Look who decided to just come to us." a man sitting atop a large Wyvern shade greeted mockingly. "Evening, Reaper, Rage."

"Ion." Sven replied. "I wondered which Lords were left behind and were going to try something."

"You came alone?" Ion asked, wiping off a pair of glasses in his hands. He ran a hand through his long golden hair before returning the spectacles to his face.

"No. My backup's in hiding, same as yours." Sven smirked underneath his helmet. "I know I can't sense her because she knows how to hide her energy, but Enmity's never far whenever you show up."

"Quite an astute observation. Impressive." Ion nodded. "Enmity!" Sven did not move as the Bloodline of Hate came barreling out through the wall of a collapsed building, her armor glowing blood red from her flared ability. Her course was suddenly altered as a dark-gray gauntlet connected with the side of her helmeted head, sending her sprawling across the cement. She quickly flipped onto her feet and rushed over to Ion's side.

"Damn, Rage, you holding back on me?" the female lord asked, rubbing her neck. "Or are you going soft?" Rei did not respond, instead letting the gauntlet on his hand dissipate into a black mist, revealing his normal white armor underneath. "... Guess we're going straight to the fun part." Enmity waved her hand, and the Shades surged forward at the two Guardians. Both Lords flared their abilities, Enmity's armor flashing angrily and Ion's hair spiking back as electricity arced off his body. The black-armored pair rushed forward amidst their horde of shadowy puppets.

"...Some people never learn..." Rei muttered. The lead Shade, a large Fenrir, leaped at him with its jaws open wide. Rei's hand closed around its neck, and the Shade was quickly ripped apart as the Rage Inheritor flared a point of intense gravity to life inside the creature. "...Which one do you want to fight?"

"I'll take care of Ion." Sven replied, placing his hand on the ground. With a lift of his palm, Sven materialized his weapon in a small pillar of light, a large crescent-shaped scythe. He immediately swung the weapon a wide arc, cutting through the first group of incoming Shades. Several clusters of the creatures dashed past them, headed for the gateway. Sven keyed his radio quickly to alert the EDC to the incoming hostiles.

Ion was not far behind the puppets, unleashing a wave of lightning at the Reaper as he rushed forward. Rei found himself in a similar engagement with Enmity, jumping back as the female Lord slammed he fist into the ground where he had been standing.

"What's wrong, Rage? You deciding to go easy on me?" Enmity growled at the opposing Inheritor that hadn't flared their Bloodline ability.

"I don't need my ability." Rei replied flatly.

"Big talk fo- Whoa!" Enmity jumped back as a crater appeared in the ground in front of her.

"Surrender." Reo glared. "We can resolve this without further bloodshed."

"How 'bout no?" Enmity smirked, waving a group of large Demon-like Behemoths towards Rage's back. Rei whirled on the Shades, dodging their charge, but allowing Enmity to break off and join Ion in engaging Sven. The Reaper blocked an incoming kick from the Lord before ducking beneath a bolt of lightning from his other opponent. Sven then had to roll off to the side as he was beset by a wave of Shades. The two Lord's quickly disengaged to reassess the situation, as their current fight was going nowhere.

"Damn. It just had to be two of the big ones, didn't it?" Ion bemoaned loudly. "Enmity, how are we doing?" The other Lord quickly closed her eyes, using her ability to sense the energy signatures nearby while the Shades occupied the two Guardians. Ion noticed his partner flinch as something caught her attention.

"We need to go. Regroup and try again later."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"They've got company." Enmity snarled.

* * *

"That's the last one, I think." Sven informed his fellow Guardian as he swiftly removed a Fenrir's head. "Looks like Ion and Enmity decided to back off and retreat for now, though."

"That's going to prove to be an issue later, you know." Rei muttered distastefully.

"I know." the Reaper nodded, turning his radio on to contact the EDC troopers and Sam. "Everyone alright over there? Did you handle the Shades?"

"I know you sent us a warning, Sir." the distorted voice of an EDC trooper said, "But no Shades ever showed up. We're keeping an eye out, but it looks like it's all quiet now."

"Odd." Sven said, "at least a couple dozen of them got by us." The pair began to walk back towards the gateway, scanning the collapsed skyscrapers for the Shades or some sign of where they had gone. A flash of deep red caught Sven's eye, and he placed his forearm against Rei to get him to come to a stop. The Reaper knelt down, and picked up a strand of long hair from the surface of the cement. He and Rei shared a knowing look for a moment before the latter shrugged and continued towards their destination. Sven stood alone with the red lock of hair in his hand. He concentrated, finding the residual energy of the Aura that had helped them.

"Thank you, Eve." He called out to the empty road. He waited a few moments before sighing and following Rei's path to the gateway. Above them, a young woman watched the two Guardians with an expression somewhere between relief and pain. There was a part of her that wanted to talk to them, but she kept telling herself that she would do it when the time was right. That time seemed to be forever moving. She felt the ragged ends on a small section of her hair, where a Shade had managed to clip her.

She was clearly out of practice if she couldn't effectively fight the weakest type of Shade the Order used. Of course, she tended to avoid fighting these days, instead trying to find her own place in the world. It was difficult for her, as she was constantly plagued by the fact that she was nothing. That she was created to simply be a replacement. Despite that... Sven and... Elise... had still tried to welcome her into their family. Maybe someday she'd walk alongside them, but for now, she would have to finish burying "Lord Despair" once and for all.

"... You're... welcome..." she whispered, knowing that the Guardians were to far away to hear.

* * *

 **A/N: Not sure I'm 100% happy with this one, but it'll do. On the plus side, we finally get some action scenes. Beware of potential delays on the next chapters.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES:**

 **ItzABlueWulf: Fear not, I can assure you that her power is not time related. She's also not from Earth.**


	11. Chapter 10

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 10**_

"... Never... thought... I'd miss... Valiance's... chattering..." Ignis panted as his boots continued to sink deep into the hot sand with every step he took. After he'd landed... wherever he was... he'd begun searching for something, _anything_ , that might help him survive the harsh environment. The irony that the Bloodline of Flame might die from heat had dawned on him some time ago, and had refused to leave his mind.

The ex-Lord stumbled as his foot twisted oddly in the shifting desert terrain, sending him face-first into the sand. He pushed himself into a sitting position and spat out a mouthful of the gritty substance.

"... Damn it..." He thought aloud, taking a moment to wipe the sweat from his forehead. His progress had been excruciatingly slow, as the sandy landscape constantly seemed to try to pull him under the vast rolling dunes. Ignis began to remove the heavy plating of his armor, tossing the pieces into the small supply pack he had been carrying. He was somewhat annoyed that it had been filled with ammunition and not rations. Now with less weight pushing down on his feet as he dragged the supply pack behind him, the ex-Lord found that he did not sink as far into the sand.

As he once again began to move, his thoughts drifted to the precarious situation his separation from Alyia had left both Bloodlines in. The fact he was stuck in a desert with nothing but a pack of ammunition was the obvious problem, but Alyia being alone with limited ability to fend off the hordes of dark creatures didn't exactly strike the Lord as being much better, even if she had plenty of food and water.

The unfamiliar world's sun continued its upward climb into the sky, eventually seeming to erase any shadows it touched. Ignis continued his slow trek through the desert, the supply bag leaving a shallow trail behind him. He was sapped of both water and energy, and soon found himself unable to continue. He fell flat into the sand and lay there with the sun baking the land around him. Ignis struggled to stay awake, but the mixture of dehydration and exhaustion could no longer be held at bay, and his vision faded to black.

* * *

"Daddy?" Lex asked her father as their vehicle bounced over a protruding tree root. "Do you think Auntie Alyia and Uncle Ryan are alright?"

"I'm sure they're fine, Lex." Jerloh rustled her hair from his seat next to her. "Don't worry about them, they can handle themselves."

"I know... but, I can't stop worrying."

"It's only natural to be concerned about family." the Terror Inheritor hugged his daughter. "I think I'd actually be more worried if you _weren't_ afraid for their safety."

"Mm." Lex made a small sound of affirmation. She leaned into Jerloh's side.

"It's not just Ryan and Alyia you're worried about, is it?" he asked kindly. "Are you thinking about the others back home too?" He felt her head make a nodding motion. "I'm sure they'll be fine too."

"But... what if they die?" Lex huddled closer to her father. "What if you and Auntie Alyia aren't there to save them?"

"Lex," Jerloh smiled, "your Aunts and Uncles have rescued me from just as many jams as I've gotten them out of. It'll take more than us missing for a while to get them killed."

"... I hope so..." Both the girl and her father looked up as the vehicle slowed slightly so Marcia could speak to them. The EDC General turned from her view of vivid red trees and looked at Jerloh's daughter.

"Lex... Remember what I told you about Alex and Dimitri?"

"... Yeah? That they were the best?"

"Right." Marcia nodded. "Just remember that the rest of our weird family is just as strong as they were, if not better. You don't need to worry about them."

"... Okay..." Lex nodded, though she looked a little confused as to what Marcia's point was.

The trio's ride continued surrounded by seemingly infinite trees. The leaves had slowly shifted from deep green to a flaming red, as if Autumn has come early and permanently to this particular section of forest. Lex slowly drifted off into a peaceful sleep on Jerloh's lap, breathing softly as her father kept her from rolling off the seat every time the LCV encountered a bump along the ground.

"... Marcie..." Jerloh began hesitantly, making sure Lex was sound asleep. "Be honest, you're worried about the others too, aren't you?"

"Of course I am." she replied quietly.

* * *

"Come _on_!" Alyia yelled frustratedly at a large Nevermore as it attempted to pluck her from the tall tree she had taken refuge in. "Screw off, you damn bird!" The Grimm only crowed loudly as it turned to make another pass at her. "Fine. I'll waste a shot on you."

Alyia pulled out one of her two pistols, the other already completely drained of its charge, and checked its energy supply.

"Forty-eight percent... should be good for another eighty shots total then." She flipped the handgun around her pointer finger once before flipping off the safety and leveling it at the giant raven circling her. A large burning hole appeared in the Grimm's right wing as the handgun's superheated plasma projectile seared through the air. The creature gave a loud cry of pain as it plummeted into the trees below. Leaves and twigs were sent flying as it crashed through the forest canopy, and the Nevermore came to a hard stop on the ground.

Alyia stared down at the creature from her perch in the tree, and was surprised when the Grimm stared right back. Despite the Nevermore's solid red eyes, its body language betrayed something else. Fear. A trait Alyia had seen a lot of when fighting alongside her brother. What puzzled her, however, was the almost pleading gaze the creature was giving her. The giant bird managed to stand and hop towards Alyia's tree, shaking the ground with each step. It crowed at her pitifully.

Suddenly, its message became clear to Alyia as more pairs of red eyes became visible within the darkness of the forest. A massive pack of Beowolves emerged, circling the injured Nevermore and surrounding it. A tongue darted out of one of the larger pack member's mouths and licked its chops hungrily. The pack rushed at the helpless larger creature and pounced on it. The Nevermore thrashed and cawed as the smaller Grimm tore it its flesh. Suddenly, the raven Grimm's head was split wide open by another one of Alyia's projectiles. The Beowolves stared at the Human in the tree momentarily, before returning to feeding on the slowly dissipating corpse of the Nevermore. Alyia returned her weapon to its holster. She watched the giant bird quickly disappear into the ravenous maws of the smaller creatures.

A small pang of regret entered Alyia's heart as she leaped onto the nearest adjoining tree, not wanting to risk traversing the ground with the pack about. She had always hated seeing suffering, regardless of whether it was friend or foe. No one should be left to die like that, not even an unknown creature that had been trying to eat her.

* * *

 _Now this is just pathetic._ The voice in Chaos' head whispered to him as he dodged through a section of the town hall and hid behind a desk.

"Shut-" he silenced himself as a nearby door creaked open.

"Please don't run! I just want to talk!" the mystery girl called from out of sight. Upon receiving no response, she continued to try and coax the ex-Lord from his hiding place. "I didn't think there were others like me! Please, I just want to talk to you a little bit!" Her voice was pleading.

 _Do it. Kill her while she is distracted._

"If you didn't notice before, our attacks don't seem to harm her. It'd be a better option to just warp out of here." Chaos whispered.

 _And leave a witness of our actions here? Idiot, if you want to kill the Humans that did this to us, you will need the element of surprise._

"I can handle Greene and a handful of children."

 _Really? Then how did you wind up in this situation to begin with?_ Chaos only growled in response. _I thought so. Do as I say. End her, then we can be on our way._

"Found you!" Chaos' head shot up as the girl leaned over to peer behind the desk where he was hidden. "Here, let me help you up." Her smile was calm, but her voice betrayed some sort of excitement. She grabbed Chaos' arm before he could flinch away and guided him out from under the desk.

Immediately, Chaos broke away from her gentle grasp and put some distance between them. He made a slashing motion with his arm, attempting to summon one of his shadowy blades for another attack. But nothing happened.

"What!?" the Bloodline cried, staring dumbly at his palm. He suddenly became aware of a feeling of warmth spreading from where the girl had touched him. "What did you do!?"

"I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?" She waved her hands frantically. "I don't know how to control it!"

 _KILL HER! KILL HER!_

"Screw this, I'm out." Chaos muttered. "See ya." He concentrated on making a random jump. A second passed. Then two. Then five. The Bloodline opened his eyes, finding himself still firmly standing in the exact same place as the mystery girl continued to apologize incessantly. She seemed to notice Chaos' befuddled expression as he tried to use his ability to teleport.

"Um... What are you doing?" She asked.

"Trying to get away from you." He replied honestly. "I've got things to do, people to kill."

"Please don't leave me!" the girl cried suddenly, leaping towards him. Her arms wrapped around the young Bloodline's chest. Chaos could feel more of that warm sensation spreading from where the girl's body came into contact with his armor. Her sapphire eyes met his red, pleading desperately. "I've been alone so long!" Chaos attempted to push the girl off him, to no avail. He suddenly regretted relying on his ability so much in the past and neglecting to build up any sort of muscle mass.

 _Well, it just keeps getting worse. You can't even escape a lone girl. How to expect to defeat anyone like that?_

"I can usually kill them!" Chaos said, his eye twitching in annoyance.

"Who are you talking to?" the girl asked.

"None of your business." Chaos snarled as he managed to extricate himself from the strange girl's embrace. "Look, whatever you think I am, I'm not. Usually, I'd gut you and hear you cry out for mercy, but seeing as that can't seem to happen, I'm just going to go, okay? Okay." Upon finding that he could still not teleport, the Bloodline turned on his heel and strode away as fast as his legs could carry him. He was keenly aware of the pattering of the girl's feet as she followed him. "GO _AWAY_!"

"No! You're the first person who's even talked to me in months!" She yelled, catching up to the ex-Lord with ease due to her more athletic build. "And on the plus side... you can't seem to hurt me."

"I'd really like to, believe me." Chaos replied. "If I could I'd put you right alongside all those bodies downstairs." He really hoped that being threatening would get her to leave. To his dismay, she continued to tag along at his side. The voice in his head continued to chant that he should kill her. "What the hell did you do to my ability, anyway?" He sighed in defeat, seeing as he was not going to escape this girl until his power returned.

"I- I don't know... Nothing like that's ever happened before..." She answered earnestly. Her honesty only made Chaos grit his teeth in further frustration. If she didn't know what she did in the first place, there was little chance of her removing it. The girl's mood seemed to brighten even further, despite the other participant in their conversation wearing a rather sour expression. "So... my name's Melody. What's yours?"

"I'm not giving you my name." Chaos narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you?"

"I'm not saying anything else until you answer my question." Melody replied stubbornly.

"... Chaos..." the ex-Lord muttered, "they call me 'Chaos'."

"That's a funny name." the silver-haired girl giggled. "Okay, to answer your question... that's another 'I don't know'. Sorry. I just... got these weird powers one day. They changed my hair color too." Chaos made an annoyed sound in response. "Alright, another question from me... What about you? How'd you get your powers? I mean, you've got two semblances, right?"

"First," Chaos held up a finger. "that was three questions, not one. Second, I was born with my abilities. Though, yes, I have two."

 _IDIOT! WHY ARE YOU REVEALING SO MUCH!?_ Chaos suddenly stopped walking, causing Melody to come to a halt as well and look back at him questioningly. Why _was_ he telling this girl so much? Something about her had loosened his tongue, made him actually converse with her. What the hell was happening to him?

"You okay, Chaos?" Melody asked worriedly.

"Yes. I'm fine." He said, shaking his head. "No more questions, though."

"I'll owe you like three for later, then." Melody nodded. Chaos sighed. It looked like he was stuck with a traveling companion, at least for a little while.

* * *

Alyia continued her trek through the woods, now walking along the ground. She scanned the forest around her, keeping a careful eye out for any more of the masked creatures. Her ears picked up a series of distant sounds. She listened intently as the sounds increased in number and frequency. It was a tone she was all too familiar with. Gunfire. And that meant people were nearby.

Alyia doubted that the Order would enter into open combat unless it was against herself or one of the others that had been spit out onto this world. She sprinted towards the noise, the staccato of bullets whizzing through the air with their associated bangs growing ever closer. Alyia came to a small hill, able to hear indiscernible yelling from the other side. She quickly ascended the sloping incline, quickly spotting the source of the noise.

At the base of the hill lay a small walled town. People stood atop the wall as it was besieged by a horde of the masked creatures, firing indiscriminately down into the ocean of pitch-black forms. The Guardian pulled her handgun from its holster and checked its charge once more.

Weiss watched the screen displaying the emergency report worriedly. A frontier town near Atlas had come under attack by Grimm, and the local populace was having difficulties holding them off. A reporter spoke to the cameras, relaying what was happening. Weiss gripped the arm of her chair. Beside her, Charles, Anise, and Winter wore equally concerned faces. Each of them wished that they could reach the town in time, but as the reporter readied his farewells to his family, they knew that they would never reach the town in time. It would take a miracle to-

Charles was the first to sit straighter and lean forwards towards the screen, not believing his eyes. As the Grimm poured over the wall of the town, their numbers began to thin as flashing projectiles rained into their ranks. The town guardsmen took the opportunity to guide more civilians to safety. Their savior ran into view of the camera. A woman in white armor. A Guardian.

"Girls..." Charles said. "I think we need to make a trip."

* * *

 _ **Barnes' Log: A Message to Ozpin**_

 _"I think I've let this slide long enough, Ozpin. This information deal needs to be a two-way street. Out of all the people I've dealt with, you have to be the most tight-lipped. I'm not sure how it benefits anyone that you keep so many secrets. The rest of the staff may trust you implicitly, but I've seen how many lives secrets can cost."_

 _"These students may not be my soldiers, but they've come to be my responsibility just as much as yours. What ever you're trying to hide, whether its from all of Remnant or just me... it has to stop. Give me a time and a location so we can discuss this in person. None of this cloak and dagger bullshit. Barnes out."_

* * *

 **A/N: Things are a-happening around Remnant. Possible delays ahead still, I got sick. What a lovely holiday gift.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES:**

 **Welcometodalolz: Glad you think so. I thought the pacing was a bit off near the end of the chapter, though in hindsight, it's not too bad. Just not perfect.**


	12. Chapter 11

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 11**_

Ignis coughed, laying on his back. He felt a moist cloth laid across his forehead. He wasn't in the desert anymore. As he cracked his eyes open, he became aware of how colorful his surroundings were, as opposed to the sandy tan that he had been drowning in. He sat himself up slowly, noticing he was in a simple, but comfortable, bed.

"Take it easy. You passed out in the desert." Ignis turned to find the voice's source, quickly spotting a young woman with braided crimson hair and soft earthy green eyes. The woman offered the Bloodline a glass of water, which he accepted gladly.

"Thank you." the ex-Lord nodded his head appreciatively.

"For the water or saving you from the desert?" she quipped, tilting her head playfully.

"Both, I suppose." Ignis chuckled, feeling his parched lungs give a painful twinge as he did. The woman seemed to notice.

"Drink up." she commanded. "Let's make sure you're out of danger before we keep talking." Ignis nodded and downed the water, taking in his surroundings in further detail. The room where he was being kept was decently large, over twenty feet in both length and width. The walls had been painted a soft cream color, but had additional images of flowers of every hue covering the base. The building was quiet aside from any sound made by himself or the woman. Several large pots filled with real plants were scattered about the room, as well as in the hallway visible through the doorway he spotted.

Ignis began planning possible escape routes. The Reaper might've chastised him for it, but trust was not a commodity the ex-Lord had in ample supply. Only his wife and daughter had that honor. The woman eyed him oddly as he scanned the room.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. I probably couldn't even if I wanted to." She smiled warmly. "My name is Cherri. Welcome to my little home beyond the edge of civilization."

"Ignis." the ex-Lord replied shortly.

"That's clearly not your real name. Come on, I gave you mine."

"... Ryan... Ryan Aedus."

"That's better." Cherri nodded. "Nice to meet you, Ryan."

"...Likewise." he replied. The two of them stayed where there were for a few moments before Cherri seemed to have an idea.

"Hey, think you can stand?" she asked.

"Yes. Why?" Ignis raised an eyebrow at her.

"Because I want to show you around the rest of my house." she answered promptly. "Here, come on." Cherri reached out her hand to help Ryan to his feet. He hesitantly reached out and accepted the offer, A cool sensation traveled down his arm as their palms touched, and he suddenly noticed the small aches of pain across his body vanish.

Cherri quickly dragged him out of the room, animatedly gesturing as she showed the ex-Lord the rest of her home. It was decorated in much the same way as the room he had been in. The building was two stories in height and approximately seventy feet in its other two dimensions.

"So, why all the plants?" Ignis noted the abundance of potted foliage-bearing life. Flowers and small trees were _everywhere_.

"Oh, that's how I keep myself occupied out here." Cherri explained. "Making things grow in the middle of a desert will eat up more than enough free time. Plus, it keeps me fed, so there's that." She continued to guide Ignis through the house, showing him the various amenities therein. She then led him to the front entryway, a set of thick oaken double doors.

As Cherri led him outside, Ryan became aware of the desert in the distance in every direction. However, for over a hundred meters around the house, there was nothing but green vegetation. Cherri smiled pridefully at the ex-Lord's surprised expression.

"Impressive, huh?" she inquired.

"How did you manage this?" Ryan asked. No single person could have possibly done this.

"Well, if we're exchanging questions, let's make this an even trade. Where are you from, Ryan? What's your world called?" Ignis flinched and took a leap back from the woman, putting some distance between them. His right palm glowed as he gathered heat in it in preparation for a fight. "Nonono!" Cherri waved her hands defensively. "I was genuinely asking!"

"How do you _know_?" the ex-Lord growled.

"I can sense that you have a lot of power, but since you're a guy, you can't be like me. So I assumed you weren't from Remnant." the red-haired woman quickly explained. She let out a sigh of relief as Ignis' glowing palm subsided.

"Explain."

"Well, you have an aura... but it's different than any normal person's. I mean, it didn't heal you, for one, since I could still sense it when I rescued you."

"That's not how it works."

"Not where you're from maybe. But aura is supposed to heal its owner here." Cherri explained. "So, can you answer my question, please? What's your home called?"

"... Earth." Ryan relented. "You said this world was called 'Remnant'?"

"Yup." the woman nodded. "... I guess reintroductions are in order... how about you go first? Who are you?"

"... I am Ryan Aedus, as I said. But I am also Ignis, Bloodline of Flame."

"I'm gonna have to ask you to explain that later, but anyway... My name is Cherri Aithley... and as for how I got all these plants to grow... I am the current Maiden of Spring."

* * *

Blake sat nervously in the common area in the dormitory at Beacon, a heavy book open in her lap. The tome's pages were covered in small letters, greatly detailing the extensive history of Remnant and its kingdoms. She raised her eyes from the book as the room's door creaked open and Dimitri and Firo entered.

"Blake? What's wrong?" Firo asked. "Your message sounded urgent." The two adults sat across from the student.

"It's... I found something... but I'm not sure what to make of it..." Blake replied solemnly, lifting the book in her lap and presenting it to her friends.

"Is this about the stars?"

"... Yes..." Blake nodded slowly. "... I don't know... it's stupid."

"Blake," Dimitri reached out and took the student's hand reassuringly. "what did you find?"

"I found... recorded instances of those particular four stars acting like they are now... they've historically coincided with... calamities of unimaginable scale... but... it was usually only one star that would act up..." Blake shifted uneasily.

"... and we saw all four stars acting up..." Firo finished, catching onto what the black-haired girl was saying.

"... Yeah..." Blake confirmed. "... I can only hope that it's just a superstition..." She took a deep breath to try to calm her nerves. "I'm sorry... this must really seem like a dumb thing to call you both about..."

"No." Dimitri shook his head. "Blake, you know both Albi and I are here for you if you need to talk about something. It's better than you trying to face impending doom all on your own."

"... Thank you... both of you..." Blake sniffed. She got up and hugged both of her companions, letting herself calm down before returning to her seat. "... I'm going to keep an eye out for anything that might be related to this... can I count on both of you to help me?"

"Of course." the Russian answered. Firo nodded her own affirmation. "We'll be with you every step of the way."

* * *

"So, 'Chaos' can't be your real name... right?" Melody asked as she still adamantly followed the white-haired Bloodline through the woods. He remained silent. "Hey, come on, tell me!" She said, happily grabbing Chaos' arm to get his attention.

"... Did you forget that I slaughtered a room full of people literally moments before you found me?" He asked, still biding his time until his powers returned. His ability to plan was also hindered by the constant ranting of the voice in his head. He was doing his best to drown that one out completely. At least Melody wasn't screaming at him.

"... Well... no, but... I mean, we can work on that..."

"What do you mean?" Chaos quirked an eyebrow at her.

"... Um..." She started. "Well... killing people is wrong, right? So, we'll just work on getting you to stop that."

"...You're now clearly forgetting the part where I, one, enjoyed ripping those fools apart, and two, where I tried to do the same to you..."

"We can work on it!" Melody repeated stoically.

"... Sure..." Chaos rolled his eyes.

"I mean, we have plenty of time, right?" the girl continued.

"You seem to think this arrangement is permanent." Chaos replied. "It's not. As soon as my power returns, I'm gone." _KILL HER! LEAVE NO TRACE!_ "Shut up." Melody's footsteps stopped, and since she still had a grip on his arm, Chaos also came to a halt. "What?"

"...Please don't go..." She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to be alone anymore..." A different voice suddenly spoke in Chaos' mind as he saw the mixture of fear, desperation, and loneliness on the girl's face.

 _Don't... Leave... Me... Please... I... Don't... Want... To be... Alone..._ A child's voice spoke instead of the ranting woman's that had plagued him. Chaos felt something twinge in his chest. What on Earth was happening to him? He was Chaos, the very embodiment of complete anarchy. He had slaughtered hundreds of men, women, and children. What was this girl doing to him? The woman's voice returned to answer him.

 _She is making you weak. She must die._

* * *

Taiyang watched his daughters sitting on the couch, playing games with Luna and Ryland. Their evening thus far had been quite activity-filled. Yang and Ryland had subjected all of them to a series of horror films in quick succession, but had called it off once Ruby started looking nervously over her shoulder and squeezing Zwei so tightly that the poor dog was lucky his head hadn't popped off.

So, instead, the four current occupants of the couch squared off in some sort of racing game. Taiyang hadn't really kept up with the gaming trends, so all he could tell is that the racers took inspiration from different types of Grimm.

Qrow had once again emptied the house of any sort of liquor he could get his hands on. He had started when the movie marathon had begun, but passed out about halfway through the third film. Now the dark-haired Huntsman was laid out on the rug behind the couch, snoring lightly despite the occasional yells of victory coming from nearby.

Taiyang spotted Alex sitting off to the side of the others. Ever since he and Ryland had recounted their origins, Taiyang had found himself watching them to discern more about their characters. To his eyes, they really were just normal people put through a series of horrible ordeals. They hadn't shared too much in terms of gritty details about the war they had fought in, but Taiyang couldn't hold that against them. He'd had plenty of friends unwilling to talk about their past battles.

Not wanting to continue awkwardly standing off on his own, Taiyang pulled a chair up next to Alex. He might as well try to learn more about one of the men responsible for keeping his children safe.

"Hey, Alex. You settling in alright?"

"Oh?" Alex tore his own gaze away from the four occupants of the couch. "Yeah. It's very nice. Thanks for letting us stay for a while."

"Nah. It's no trouble." Taiyang waved a hand dismissively. "It's actually nice to have some company around here that isn't drunk." He pointed at Qrow, who made a loud snoring sound.

"Glad to be of service." Alex joked.

"... I've been wondering something..." Taiyang began, his voice becoming low and serious. "Earlier... you mentioned that wish granting temple..." He took a deep breath. "When you said that it let you talk to the dead... did Ruby..." Alex picked up on what he was asking.

"Yes." the blond soldier nodded. "She talked to her mother."

"Good. At least that gives her and I a little closure..." Taiyang sighed, closing his eyes. "there was always a part of me that hoped she was still out there... but at least... now I know she isn't suffering alone somewhere..."

"I'm sorry... I know how you feel..."

"Who did you see?" Taiyang asked.

"My brother." Alex answered. "He made sure to kick my ass in gear though..." Taiyang and the soldier both chuckled.

"Alex. Thank you for keeping my girls alive."

"It wasn't just me. Ryland and many others helped us, and they didn't get this far without their own immense amounts of skill. You should be proud to have kids like them."

"Believe me. I am."

* * *

 **A/N: So, Ignis met somebody interesting, didn't he? In other news, my lungs are still inside my body... so there's that.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES:**

 **ItzABlueWulf: That reveal is coming eventually. Not for a while, but eventually.**

 **Stevealio: Oh no. It's started.**

 **Welcometodalolz: True, but I think I got the coal of early gifts.**


	13. Chapter 12

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

 **A/N: Changed the title. I like it better than before, personally.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 12**_

"Thank you so much, Miss!" the mayor of the frontier town bowed deeply to Alyia. "Without your timely arrival we might have-"

"No, no! It's nothing, really." the Guardian waved her hands frantically to try and quell the torrent of gratitude she was receiving. "Your town's soldiers did far more than me. I only showed up at the end of the fight."

"I'm sure that there must be something that we can do to repay you!" the mayor said. "It would be remiss of me to send you on your way without seeing you rewarded for saving our lives." Alyia mentally sighed. Her conversation with the mayor had been going in circles for the last hour... and that wasn't counting the similar discussions she had been bombarded with by various townsfolk. One man had even asked to marry her on the spot, and she had to inform him that she already had a husband and child.

"Look..." Alyia cut the mayor off as politely as she could, "I'm going to help the other residents of the town get everything in order before I head back out. If-"

"Well, we must certainly pay you for that!"

"... If you want to repay me, all I need are some directions."

"So little? That simply won't do."

"Then put as much money as you can into helping the people and let's call it even." Alyia said with finality, a hint of frustration seeping into her tone. Seeming to pick up on her irritation, the mayor nodded.

"I see. I will make sure to do all I can. You are truly a selfless individual." He bowed once again. "You have my deepest gratitude and respect, Miss."

"You're welcome." Alyia said, letting out a sigh of relief that this conversation was over. "I'll head out and help around town. Let me know if you need anything."

"Of course. Thank you."

* * *

Charles sat across from Winter and Weiss as they rode a Bullhead transport towards the town that had been attacked the night before. Anise sat in Winter's lap, reading an article on the older Schnee's scroll. Weiss was in the process of making sure both her and Winter's weapons were in proper condition in case they ran into any straggling Grimm.

"... From what it says..." Anise reported as she read the text on the scroll in her small hands. "It sounds like the guards managed to drive the Grimm out of the town with the Guardian's help. Now they're just kinda firing into the woods to keep them away."

"Thank you, Anise." Charles nodded. The young girl smiled in return. Winter patted her head.

"Our weapons seem to be in good shape." Weiss noted, sheathing her Dust Rapier and offering Winter her saber. Her sister graciously accepted the sword. "Hopefully we won't need them, though." Charles and Winter bobbed their heads in agreement.

"Miss Schnee." the pilot of the Bullhead spoke, turning slightly in their chair. "We are about to arrive."

"Thank you." Winter replied. "Please remain on standby after we land. I'll contact you when we are ready to return.

"Of course, Ma'am. I'll be waiting for your call." The dropship swayed slightly as it hovered over the town's landing pad, slowly reducing its altitude. The powerful twin engines kicked dirt and dust into the air. The transport finally came to a rest with a metallic thud. A hatch opened in the craft's side, allowing its passengers to disembark.

Charles looked around at the town around them. Despite the ordeal they had just experienced, the residents seemed to be in good spirits, hard at work repairing the damage to their homes. A portly man in a suit, who Charles assumed was the mayor, waddled over to the new arrivals with as much haste as he could muster.

"Ah, Miss Schnee! I didn't know you were coming!" he panted as he came to a halt several paces from the group of four people gathered on the landing pad.

"I saw the news broadcast last night. We have some humanitarian supplies on our transport for your people." Winter said, gesturing to the dropship behind her.

"Oh, thank you!" the mayor bowed to her. "There seems to be no shortage of generous and compassionate people these days."

"That's the other thing." Charles interjected. "There was a woman in white armor here, do you know where she went?"

"She's still here, actually! I believe I last saw her helping Mrs. Amenti repair her store..."

"Can you point us in that direction?"

"Yes, of course. It's just down the road and to the right." the mayor pointed helpfully.

"Thanks." Charles nodded his appreciation. He stepped down off the platform and headed in the direction the mayor had pointed out. The trio of girls followed him.

It did not take long for their group to reach the building the mayor had mentioned. It was a single story bakery, where an old woman with pale green eyes swept the dirt and broken glass from the front of her store. Winter caught sight of the woman they were searching for standing on the building's roof, patching holes torn in it by Grimm claws. Her white armor shimmered slightly in the morning light.

"Oh, are you here to speak to our nice friend?" the old woman asked as they approached.

"Yes." Winter nodded. "If it's no trouble, that is."

"I doubt it will be. She seems to have time for everyone." the baker laughed. "Miss! There are some people here who want to talk to you.

"Oh?" the Guardian called down. "Who is-" As she stepped to the edge of the roof, her eyes immediately locked on Charles and she fell silent. Charles stared back, his jaw hanging open as he saw the woman's face. Winter looked between the pair of awestruck individuals, suddenly realizing what they had noticed. They had the same eyes.

"... Aly...?"

"... Dad...?"

* * *

"Daddy! Look at all the red trees!" Lex said excitedly, pressing her face against the bulletproof glass of the LCV's window. "They're so pretty!"

"They sure are." Jerloh smiled and nodded, taking in the sights as well. "Never saw anything like this back home, right Marcie?"

"Hmm?" Marcia looked up from her tactical pad, "Yes, it's certainly unique."

"Whatcha' looking at, Auntie Marcia?" Lex asked, scooting over to the woman's side. Marcia seemed to hesitate for a moment, before showing Lex the device. An image of around fifty individuals standing in a close group was displayed on the tablet's screen. "EDC-STRD-1I" was printed in the lower right corner of the picture.

"... Just an old photo... of my old friends." Lex observed the image silently as she detected the hint of sadness in Marcia's voice.

"These are all the Aunties and Uncles I won't meet?"

"... Yeah." the EDC General took a deep breath, then pulled Lex in a little closer. "Do you want me to show you which ones are which?"

"Yes, please." Marcia smiled slightly. Lex's enthusiasm was always infectious.

"Alright... This one, right here..." Marcia pointed to a blond man with messy hair and a youthful look to him. "...this is Alex."

* * *

"Huh. Is it just me, or are there less Grimm around than usual?" Emerald asked her companions. It had been two days since they had set out to Forever Fall for their trip. So far, they'd encountered a few of the local Grimm, but nothing bigger than the occasional Ursa.

"It does seem oddly quiet." Pyrrha agreed, hefting her weapon in its rifle form. "What do you think, Arthur?" The blond boy remained silent. "Arthur?"

"Hey, Lightbulb." Emerald smacked the Guardian lightly on the top of his head, startling him. "Pyrrha's talking to you."

"Oh, sorry." He said, "What were you asking, Pyrrha?"

"I asked what you thought about the lack of Grimm, but now I'm wondering what's got you distracted."

"I'm not sure... There's some sort of energy hanging in the air... It feels... familiar... but I can't put my finger on it." Arthur shook his head.

"Well, keep an eye out so we can shoot it if we have to." Anika contributed to the conversation, snapping a reddened twig beneath her boot.

"I will." Arthur replied. Their group continued their trek through the forest. The blond Guardian fell back into a state of deep thought as he scoured his memories in an attempt to discern the energy signature he felt. Emerald tossed the occasional worried look over her shoulder, grabbing Arthur's arm and dragging him to catch up with the rest as he fell behind. "...I just can't place it..."

* * *

"Hey, Chaos?" Melody asked as she followed the ex-Lord into a small cave. The sun had set, cloaking the landscape in darkness. The still-powerless Bloodline had made the decision to stop for the night.

"What?" He responded with annoyance, laying down on the cold stone. "You worried about those creatures attacking in the middle of the night or something?" he turned away from her and mumbled to himself. "Maybe they'll get rid of you for me."

"Er... no. Grimm seem to leave me alone... it's part of the reason people back home chased me away..."

"Hm." Chaos muttered uninterestedly.

"... I was going to say... you never answered my question... about your name..."

"... I don't have one." Chaos spat. "Satisfied? Go to sleep."

"What do you mean?" Melody asked. The Bloodline did not respond, instead closing his eyes and letting the day's fatigue pull his into a deep slumber. The silver haired girl sat down on the cave floor, watching the ex-Lord's prone form.

She suddenly noticed his whole body shiver, as if he had suddenly been doused in cold water. Melody shifted her position so she was sitting next to the sleeping boy. For the first time, she had enough time to observe the person she had decided to follow. Sure, he had some problems, murder for one, but her mother had always told her to see the best in people. Melody was sure Chaos had some good in him somewhere.

As his shaking continued, Melody reached out and softly touched his hair. At her contact, his breathing slowed and calmed. Her thoughts drifted to the last thing he had said. How could he not have a name? Melody shook her head. Maybe she'd understand if he opened up to her more. With a sigh, she laid down a short distance from Chaos, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: Nothing really to say about this one, just that it's a little bit shorter than the last few.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES:**

 **ItzABlueWulf: Yup, Legends Scatter was named after the lyrics from "This Will Be the Day". I seriously debated, and am still debating, whether to continue in that same vein and rename Blood and Flame to Bloody Evolution. It might happen, it might not, still deciding... Okay, doing it. Thanks.**


	14. Chapter 13

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 13**_

"Admiral, you see anything from up there?" Sven asked, staring at the half-dozen EDC ships floating in the sky above the city, the Maw being the most prominent.

"Negative." Dietrich responded. "Looks like our Order friends turned tail and decided to hide."

"Thanks. Keep an eye out in case they decide to show up again."

"Copy that. I've got the sensors running overtime." Sven switched his radio off and turned towards his two fellow Guardians. Rei sat along a set of rubble-covered stairs, while Sam worked along a group of EDC engineers on putting the finishing touches on his gateway.

"How's it coming?" the Reaper asked the construction team as he walked over, broken glass crunching underneath his feet. Sam looked up from a tactical pad plugged into the device.

"We should be ready to open it up for the first time." the Guardian engineer reported. "If we had more time, I'd run more tests... but..."

"We don't exactly have the time for that." Rei finished, joining in the conversation. "So how are we going to do this?"

"We're only going to open the gateway on a small scale first, should minimize damage if anything goes wrong. Once we've got a stable portal, we can send a small group through with this." Sam held up a small circular device. "Whoever we send through will have this beacon, which will act as a way for the gateway to home in when we open it next time on a larger scale." Rei nodded his understanding.

"So, whoever goes through has to track down our missing members, and then... what? Wait for us to open the portal again?" Sven asked worriedly.

"Yeah, unfortunately. The gateway takes some time to charge up enough power to open a portal. The larger the hole it needs to stabilize, the more energy we'll need. That's why we're starting small." Sam explained, though a mirror of his friends' concerns played across his face. "I'm good, but this is uncharted territory in terms of machinery."

"Alright. Guess we'll have to get ready. Let us know when-"

"Guardians! Multiple Hyperspace contacts incoming!" Dietrich reported. "No EDC IFF tags. Looks like our friends are back with company." The trio of Guardians and the local EDC troopers had only moments to process, as over three dozen Order ships suddenly warped into the airspace above the gateway. Their lead vessels' weapons had been pre-charged, and they released a volley of plasma projectiles at the cluster of EDC ships.

* * *

The Maw turned so it took a majority of the initial attack, letting its broadside shields absorb the incoming fire and protecting the other five ships in its company.

"Dammit!" Dietrich swore as the rest of the Order battlegroup moved into position. He punched a button on the side of his command console. "I need those frigates up at the front, now! All other ships fall into a defensive line!"

"Assault Frigate Grindstone confirms."

"This is Support Frigate Spotlight, we confirm." Both of the smaller ships acknowledged, breaking off from the main group to fire at priority targets amongst the Order fleet before them.

"Ensign Rasch!" Dietrich shouted over the frantic chatter of the Comms officers in the background. "Provide cover fire for Grindstone and Spotlight!"

"Aye, Admiral! Cycling Shieldbreaker missiles and plasma cannons!" the Weapons officer called over his shoulder, rapidly taping away at his console.

"Admiral, Order ships just launched fighter and landing craft!"

"Get me the Hive." Dietrich commanded. The woman manning the Comms terminal nodded, quickly contacting the lone Carrier among their ranks. An image of the other ship's Captain appeared. "Captain King, scramble every assault craft you have. We need to thin their numbers."

"Already on it, Admiral." King replied quickly. "Consider it done." The Maw rocked as another volley exploded against its shields.

"Guardians, what's your status?"

"Well." Sven replied. "Our friends are back."

* * *

In front of the trio of Guardians was a solid wall of Shades, Acolytes, and Knights, led by the two Lords from before, Ion and Enmity. The EDC soldiers behind the Guardians tensed slightly, but did not break ranks, a testament to their bravery.

"So, Rage." Enmity made an expression halfway between a taunting smile and a snarl. "You think you'll take it easy on us this time too?" Rei remained silent, instead giving Sven a questioning look.

"We're outnumbered pretty badly here." the Reaper said, "I think we're going to have to take the gloves off for this one."

"I count exactly thirty-four Acolytes, eight Knights, and the two Lords." Sam reported, his eyes rapidly scanning the enemy line slowly approaching them. "I can run priority hits, give you guys some cover fire."

"I'm more concerned about the troopers. Make sure they don't get swarmed." Sven said.

"Gotcha." Sam nodded, hefting an anti-material rifle and a bag of ammunition. In a flash, he blurred out of sight, and Sven caught a glimpse of scope glare in the building his fellow Guardian had set up in above them.

Rei still had not moved from his spot, watching the Order forces carefully as both sides waited for the other to make the first move. All the while, the ships overhead exchanged volley after volley of fire, with an occasional wreck spiraling down into the city or nearby ocean. He narrowed his eyes at the two Lords, both of whom had already flared their abilities. He closed his eyes, clearing his mind and letting baser instincts take over. Shadowy mist suddenly drifted around the Guardian, sticking to him and pulling in ever closer.

"Anything you need to say before you go in?" Sven quipped, dropping into a kneeling stance and donning his helmet.

"... Don't get in the way." The mist compressed around Rei, solidifying into a set of sharp dark-gray plate mail covered in glowing emerald symbols and silver trim. The mist hovered around his neck for a moment, before suddenly encasing the Guardian's face in a set of bear-trap-like jaws. Rei's kanabo, which had been on his back, now waved behind him on a chain like a spiked tail. The less experienced among the Order troops collectively flinched as the terrifying visage snapped down to stare at them with a pair of inhumanely large green reptilian eyes. The jaws of the helmet opened, revealing only an internal glow of the same emerald hue. Rage made itself known by unleashing an earth-shattering roar.

Sven smiled underneath his helmet as he flared his own ability. His cloak shifted from its tattered and worn brown to pitch black, small wisps of darkness seeming to peel off in the wind. Azure symbols appeared along the surface of the garment and the Guardian's armor. He stood from his kneeling position, summoning his scythe in a mixture of light and shadow. He held the weapon ready at his side.

The two Bloodlines rushed forward to meet the Order forces in battle, while the Shades surged forward to swarm both the Guardians and the EDC. Rage let out another ear-splitting roar as he crashed into Enmity. The Bloodline of Wrath smashed a clawed gauntlet into the female Lord, accompanied by the sound of shattering bone. The Rage Inheritor stomped his foot into the ground, crushing nearby Shades in a gravity well.

"Well, Reaper." Ion commented, as the Bloodline of Death approached him. "Nice to see that you're taking this seriously." A pair of Behemoths charged the Reaper, only to be cut to ribbons in a trio of arcing swings. Ion unleashed a bolt of lightning, which seared through the air and slammed into the Reaper's chest, knocking the Bloodline back. Not letting the same attack work twice, Sven blocked the Lord's next strike with his scythe's blade. Ion let a smile spread across his face underneath his helmet. "This fight will give me some wonderful data!"

* * *

"We just lost Spotlight!" one of the bridge operators reported, causing Dietrich to grit his teeth uneasily.

"Back Grindstone off." the Admiral ordered. "How many contacts are left?"

"Sensors still are picking up twenty-two active signatures, Sir."

"Damn it." Dietrich readjusted his cap uneasily. "How are the Guardians doing?"

"Guardians Drazen and Izumi are currently engaged with a pair of Lords. Guardian Miller is providing sniper support to the forces defending the gateway device. Their line is holding for now, but they are severely outnumbered."

"Sir!" another operator cut in. "New unidentified contact!"

"What is it?" Dietrich asked, walking over to the Ensign.

"I think... it's a woman."

* * *

"Dammit!" Enmity shrieked as she and Rage clashed once more, another round of broken bones being shared between them. "Just go down already!" The metal-encased Guardian simply snarled in response.

Down the road, Ion back stepped a swing from Sven's scythe, replying with an attack of his own. The electrically charged Lord was suddenly sent flying as a blast of white energy hit him in the side. Sven's head snapped to where the projectile had come from. Walking towards him was a woman with long red hair, waving softly behind her in the wind. Ion pushed himself up off the ground, finding it difficult to muster the energy to stand. He caught sight of the redheaded woman.

"Oh. Hello, Despair." He coughed. "That was unfair of you to sucker punch me."

"... Says the one attacking a force less than a tenth the size of his..."

"Well, you've got me there." Ion shrugged. "Enmity!" The other Lord quickly disengaged from Rage, running over to her partner while shaking the pain out of her fractured fingers. "Look who came to visit."

"Oh!" Enmity smirked. "If it isn't Lord Agony's failed pet project!" Sven noticed Despair flinch and tighten her fists. The EDC Carrier, Platinum Hive, exploded in a gigantic ball of fire above them. More Shades came careening down the road behind the pair of Lords.

"Sven!" Sam called over the radio. "A stray shot clipped the gateway, we're losing the charge! If we want to send someone through, we need to do it now!" The Reaper thought as quickly as he could. It would take at least two of them to hold off the Order. He quickly made a decision.

"Eve." He turned to Despair. "I need you to do a big favor for me." The incoming ocean of Shades drew ever closer. "A bunch of out people went missing a while ago. I really don't have time to explain everything, but I need you to-"

"Find them for you. I can do it." Eve cut him off. "It's the least I can do for you."

"Thank you." Sven breathed.

"... Thank me when I find them..."

* * *

Eve ran as fast as she could towards the gateway device Sven had pointed her in the direction of. Some small part of her, the part that had been raised to be a Lord, wondered why she was doing this for the Reaper. Was it because he had spared her life when he had had a chance to end it? Because he and their shared... "sister"... had offered her a home even knowing what she was and what she had done? Eve was not completely sure.

The sounds of fighting and gunfire echoed behind her as she ran, triggering memories of the peak of the war. Eve did her best to ignore them, catching sight of Sam desperately trying to get the gateway to hold its charge. The Guardian engineer noticed her sprinting towards him.

"Despair? What are you doing here? Where's the Reaper?"

"He- He asked me to go in his place."

"Goddammit. What is he-" One of the battleship-class vessels in the Maw's group came crashing down into the nearby water, drowning out the rest of Sam's frustrated cry. "Nevermind. We don't have time." Eve found a small device shoved into her hand. "That's the beacon we'll use to find you. I'm guessing no one explained what's happening in great detail?"

"No, but I've already agreed to go." Eve answered adamantly.

"Alright... then let's start this thing up." Sam pressed a button, causing the gateway to spark. In mere moments, a circular rift appeared before them. "We've got thirty seconds." Sam handed Eve a relatively hefty bag of supplies. She took off, jumping through the portal in front of her. Sam lifted his own bag, readying himself to follow her, when a whistling sound filled his ears.

The Guardian dove out of the way as an Order sniper attempted to take his head off. The bullet buried itself in the gateway, which sputtered for a moment. The rift wavered before suddenly vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.

* * *

Eve found herself landed face-first in wet sand. She pushed herself to her feet, making sure that she still had the bag of supplies with her. She quickly looked around to find herself alone on a beach she did not recognize. Tall cliffs prominently dotted the adjacent landscape.

"Where is this?" she asked aloud, hoping for a response of any kind. Only silence answered her. "Am I the only one who made it through?" Eve shook her head, tossing the granules of sand stuck in her hair in all directions. She checked her pocket, finding the small round beacon Sam had given her. She pressed it, causing it begin to strobe gently. The ex-Lord stowed the device back in her pocket. Whether she was alone or not... she had a job to do.

* * *

 **A/N: Pacing felt a bit off to me for this one. Also, just letting you guys know that there likely will not be any chapters posted on the 24th or 25th.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **Thanks to Stevealio for leaving a review!**


	15. Chapter 14

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 14**_

Winter and Weiss both held confused looks on their faces as Charles embraced the female Guardian. Charles had told them he had had his children in his late thirties, yet this woman was easily more than half his age. She looked more like his younger sister than his daughter.

"Aly, what are you doing here?" Charles asked bewilderedly.

"I'm not sure, to be honest." the Guardian replied, releasing her father from her crushing hug.

"I- I don't mean to interrupt..." Weiss found her voice. "But if you're his daughter, how are you so-"

"Old?" Alyia finished. "I can't give you any sort of scientific explanation, I guess time doesn't flow at the same rate between Earth and here." She stopped for a moment as a thought struck her. "Ah, sorry, where are my manners? Alyia Wheellock." She held out a hand.

"Winter Schnee. This is my sister, Weiss." the older snow-haired sibling shook the Guardian's extended palm friendlily. "And this is Anise." The small girl eyed Charles' daughter curiously from behind Winter's back.

"Wait." Charles interjected. "'Wheellock'?"

"Oh... yeah..." Alyia reddened slightly and rubbed the back of her head. "You're kinda... a grandfather now... twice, since Jerloh had Lex..."

"I-" Charles replied numbly as his brain attempted to process. "Now I feel old."

"You're only as old as you think you are, Dad." the Guardian quipped, causing the other assembled girls to chuckle.

"Perhaps we should find a better place to talk?" Winter suggested. "Instead of standing out in the middle of the road?"

"Sounds like a good idea." Charles agreed. "I'd like to hear what's happened back on Earth."

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Emerald asked, jumping slightly and pointing one of her two sickle-like weapons at a crimson bush.

"No, I can't say that I-" Pyrrha began to reply before whipping around at the sound of a snapping twig.

"Cut it out, you two." Anika said placatingly. "There's nothing there." Arthur nodded in agreement, though he continued to watch the dark red forest carefully. Ever since he had begun to sense that familiar energy, Emerald and Pyrrha had become progressively more jumpy. The Guardian had never once seen either of them lose their composure so easily. Whatever it was, it seemed to have left both Arthur and Anika alone, while messing with the Remnant girls' heads.

"That energy just keeps getting stronger." the Guardian noted. He made sure to pat Emerald's shoulder reassuringly as she stuck closer to him. "What do you think? Should we go searching for it?"

"... You mean 'go looking for trouble'." Anika translated. "Count me in for that."

"If it stops making me jump at my own shadow, I'm all for it." Emerald added.

"I agree. We should locate whatever is causing us to feel this way." Pyrrha nodded.

"Well, sounds like that settles it." Emerald hooked her arm around Arthur's and gave him a wink, though the Guardian could still detect a glint of unease in her eyes. "Lead the way, Lightbulb."

"Alright... From what I can tell, it should be in this direc- down!" Arthur began orienting himself, but suddenly stopped and ordered the others to crouch low with an urgent whisper.

"What is it?" Pyrrha whispered, loading a fresh magazine into her weapon. Her inquiry was answered on its own, as a massive masked beast trudged through the trees ahead of them. The quadrupedal creature stood twenty feet in height at the shoulder, and a pair of draconic wings sprouted from its back even higher into the air. The maned head of a lion scanned the trees and sniffed for its prey, while a scorpion's stinger waved passively on the beast's rear. The four students paled at the sight of it. They had only ever heard about these Grimm.

"An Arch Manticore... and a really big one..." Emerald gulped. "I really hope it didn't see us."

"I hope it hasn't smelled us." Pyrrha muttered. "Professor Port said these Grimm have incredibly heightened senses." Thankfully, the massive creature seemed to have overlooked the four students. Its giant maw opened as the Manticore gave a loud yawn, bearing fangs larger than an arm. Then, the creature thudded of through the trees, leaving Arthur and the others to let out sighs of relief.

"Why the hell would something like that be here?" Anika asked clenching her teeth from the tension. "It is related to that energy?"

"Possibly. Grimm are drawn to negative emotions, after all. There's a chance that whatever's making Em and Pyrrha nervous is attracting bigger and bigger Grimm."

"... and we're still going to go looking for the energy anyway..." Emerald said in a deflated voice.

"Not exactly my first choice," Arthur replied, wrapping an arm around the mint-haired girl's shoulder, "But we need to figure out what's going on."

* * *

As Arthur and the others continued to follow the energy, they noticed more and more smaller Grimm milling about in Forever Fall's trees. The usually hostile creatures seemed to ignore each other as they all moved in the same general direction. There was no doubt in the students' minds that the Grimm were being attracted to the same energy they were following.

"Hey is that-?" Anika asked, as her ears picked out a sound. Arthur and the others stopped and took a moment to try to detect the noise. A series of sharp, rapid cracks could be heard in the distance, amidst the roars of Grimm.

"Gunfire." Pyrrha affirmed. The students quickly cut their way through the thick trees in the direction of the noise. As they drew nearer, Arthur spotted flashes of violet light. The group came to a clearing and was met with the sight of a mess of Grimm all attempting to overwhelm a vehicle. A single man stood against the horde while the vehicle itself had been knocked onto its side. The man wore an armored trench-coat of some kind. Arthur and Anika shared a look of shock.

"Is that-" the EDC sniper began.

"I think it is." Arthur answered, drawing his staff from his back. Wthout another word, both of the Earthlings had run from their hiding spot and engaged the Grimm horde. Pyrrha and Emerald shared glances of confusion before the latter simply shrugged and went to assist her team. Pyrrha shook her head with a small smile, then brought her weapon up to her shoulder to offer fire support.

With the sudden addition of four allied fighters, the man in the coat had no trouble thinning the rest of the Grimm with his two large revolvers. After several minutes of chaotic fighting, the local populace of Beowolves and Ursas lay dead with large holes and slashes through their bodies. The corpses began their process of slowly disintegrating into thin air.

Arthur caught his breath while Emerald patted him thoughtfully on the back. The man they had helped walked over. For a moment, the students mistook him for Charles. The resemblance in their weapons, armor, and builds was immense, the only obvious difference was the fact that this man's armor was far newer looking. The man's masked visage traveled over the four students in front of him, freezing suddenly on Arthur.

"Holy crap!" the man exclaimed. "Is that you, Judge?" Arthur's face became a mix of confusion and shock as the man referred to him by the name he had been called as a Guardian. Arthur suddenly realized who the man was.

"Jerlo- OOF!" Arthur started before being pulled into an incredibly crushing hug.

"Arthur! I can't believe you're alive!" The man laughed. "Looks like the last twelve years treated you way better than they did me." Arthur managed to wriggle free and take a breath.

"Wait, twelve?"

"Yeah, ever since you and the others-"

"Hate to interrupt, Jerloh." A woman's voice said as one of the doors on the overturned vehicle was kicked open. "But a hand would be nice."

"Oh, right. Hold on, Marcie." Anika watched as the man pulled both the woman who had spoken and a small girl from the wreckage. In an instant, the woman in EDC uniform caught the sniper's eye. She was certainly older than the last time she had seen her, but it had to be-

"Marcia?" Anika spoke up, causing the woman's head to snap to her.

"Jerloh, did we die?" the woman asked. The man quickly checked himself over.

"I don't think so. All my arms, legs, and organs are still here."

"Then somebody needs to explain why one of my dead teammates is standing there.

* * *

Chaos stirred from his sleep, becoming vaguely aware of the still-screeching voice in his head. He felt... good. Not great, now that the voice's incessant ranting was filling his mind again, but it had been a long time since he had slept so well. It took a moment for him to realize how odd this thought was. He had spent time sleeping on cave floors for the last two years, what made the last night any different?

"Mornin'!" Melody greeted cheerfully from where she was sitting nearby.

"Oh." Chaos muttered, good mood continuing to evaporate. "You're still here. I'd hoped that maybe I'd just imagined you."

"Aw, don't say that." She replied. "Besides, not like you can get rid of me." Chaos' response was to swing his arm in a slashing motion in her direction. When no shadowy blades sprung from his shadow to attack the girl, he shrugged.

"Apparently my powers have still not returned..."

"Don't worry about that." Melody smiled. "Here. I found some food." Chaos reacted quickly as the girl tossed him a cloth bag. He peered inside to find it filled to the brim with colorful berries. He hesitantly picked one of the fruits up between two of his fingers to examine it. This girl wasn't smart enough to try and poison him, was she? Upon seeing Melody pull out an identical bag of berries from behind her and dig into the fruit without hesitation, Chaos decided they should be safe to eat. He popped the berry in his hand into his mouth, surprised as an overwhelmingly sweet flavor filled his mouth. He eyed the silver-haired girl oddly. Why on Earth was she still here? Any normal person would have turned tail and run from him by now, never mind being kind to him. Chaos settled it in his own mind. Melody was crazier than he was.

* * *

 **A/N: So, unfortunately, life has decided to throw me a curveball, and I will have to take a break from writing Bloody Evolution for a while. So, I'm sorry to announce that this story will be on hiatus for at least a week or two before I can get back to it. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I assure you all that I will return as soon as possible and get back on schedule.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES:**

 **Skaana: Nope!**


	16. Chapter 15

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

 _ **CHAPTER 15**_

* * *

Peleus Nikos gasped for air as he continued to push himself to move as fast as his legs would allow. He threw a wary look over his shoulder, keeping an eye out for Carnage's men. He had taken a route through an overgrown forest to try and lose the Order forces. They had been close on his heels ever since he had escaped because of-

He shook his head to try to clear his mind as images of Thetis' crumpled form came flashing back. Fatigue and anguish began to slow Peleus' pace. He fell to his hands and knees as his foot caught on a tree root. Peleus coughed, feeling like he was about to vomit. A handful of tears rolled down his cheeks as the Senator collapsed onto his side.

 _Thetis... Why is this happening?_ Peleus thought to himself. Perhaps it was all just a bad dream. He'd wake up, and Thetis would be lying beside him. No... The pain was too real to be a dream. His wife was gone, killed in an instant. Peleus' thoughts drifted to Pyrrha. Was she safe? What in the world would he tell her? The Senate. He had to warn the Senate about these monsters.

"Spread out! Find him, or Lord Carnage will have your head!" the voice of an Order Knight drifted through the trees from a distance. Peleus took as many shaky breaths as he could manage and pushed himself to his feet, then began to run again.

* * *

"It certainly sounds like you've had more than your fair share of adventure." Winter said to Alyia, patting Anise's head while the small girl sat in her lap. Their group had returned to the Schnee manor, where they now sat in a small circle in a private room.

"From what you've told me, it looks like you've gotten a decent amount of experience underneath your belts fighting those 'Grimm' creatures." the Guardian replied kindly.

"So, you said that you were made into a Bloodline by this "Reaper" person?" Weiss asked. "Which one are you?"

"I'm the first member of the Valiance, Bloodline of Courage." Alyia answered readily. "So, Dad's been chipping in around here?"

"Where I can," Charles said, "Mostly I've been helping Anise learn to control her powers."

"Don't sell yourself so short, Charles," Winter smiled.

"Looks like you've found a good bunch of people, Dad." Alyia commented, "You and Jerloh both, it seems. Making friends wherever you seem to go."

"Uncle Charles is the best!" Anise said happily. Smiles spread to the other occupants of the room. They couldn't disagree with the young girl.

* * *

Pyrrha and Emerald watched somewhat awkwardly as Arthur and Anika both spoke to the newcomers. Whoever the man and woman were, they clearly knew the Guardian and the sniper well, and were happy to see them. The two girls were pulled from their thoughts as a pair of small hands tugged on their clothing. They looked down to see a short, smiling girl with long messy brown hair and stormy-gray eyes.

"Hi! I'm Lex!" the child greeted.

"Oh!" Pyrrha knelt down so she was eye level with the young girl. "It's very nice to meet you, Lex. I'm Pyrrha."

"And I'm Emerald," the mint-haired girl added. "Do you know how your- uh-" Emerald paused for a moment, unclear who the two other people were, in relation to Lex.

"Daddy and Auntie Marcia?" Lex guessed.

"Yeah, do you know how they know Arthur and Anika?"

"I think they're friends," the girl cocked her head confusedly.

"Not quite what I meant..." Emerald muttered as kindly as possible. "Ah, whatever, I'm sure they'll explain once they're done talking." As she spoke, Arthur, Anika, and the two newcomers walked over. "So, gonna introduce your buddies, Lightbulb?"

"Right. Sorry for keeping you and Pyrrha waiting, Em." Arthur scratched the back of his head.

"These are Jerloh and Marcia," Anika introduced the pair of unfamiliar people. "They were our friends back on Earth."

"How come they're so much older than you two?"

"Couldn't say," the sniper shrugged, "When we last saw them, we were around the same age."

"You both seem to be taking this very well," Pyrrha noted.

"From what it sounds like this world has thrown at them," the woman, Marcia, cut in, "I'd say it would take a lot to surprise them now. General Marcia Evans, EDC."

"No reason to be so uptight, Marcie," the man smiled, holding out a hand to each Emerald and Pyrrha. "Any friends of Arthur's are friends of ours. Jerloh, member of Guardian Team Gamma." The pair of students hesitated a moment before taking the man's hand in greeting.

"I assume this means we're headed back to Vale?" Pyrrha asked Arthur. "It would be rude to drag your friends along on our trip, after all."

"That's probably the best course of action," the young Guardian nodded.

"Well, we'd offer you a ride, but... well, y'know..." Jerloh jerked his thumb towards the toppled EDC vehicle they had arrived in. The machine smoked and sparked angrily.

"Uh huh," Emerald nodded, smirking a bit at the man's cheerful demeanor. "We'd better get going before more Grimm show up."

"Sounds like a plan," Arthur affirmed. "Let's head back."

* * *

"You're out here again?" Cherri asked Ignis, finding him standing outside her home. He stared out over her expansive oasis and out into the desert in the distance, while the sun set rapidly on the horizon.

"Just... thinking," the ex-Lord explained.

"About anything in particular?" the Maiden of Spring inquired.

"Been processing what you told me about the 'Maidens' and the people of Remnant." He answered after a moment of hesitation. Cherri raised an eyebrow at him.

"I don't think anything I said could make someone look so... pensive," she said. "You sure that's it? Are your injuries bothering you?"

"No, they're healing well thanks to your aid."

"Then... what's got you looking so worried?"

"My thoughts keep drifting... to home... to my family..." the Lord shifted uneasily.

"You're worried about them. That's normal," Cherri assured him. "Don't worry, once you're fully healed, we'll see about getting you home."

"Do you have some way to do that?" Ignis asked, still staring off into the desert.

"I have an emergency transport, but that's supposed to stay where it is unless I need it. But I'm sure that Mr. Ozpin could help you."

"Ozpin? Who is he? Could you call him?"

"Mr. Ozpin is the leader of the people that set me up out here. He has a group that is dedicated to protecting the Maidens from harm... as well as the public eye. As for calling him, that won't be a problem, but only when you're healed and I'm sure you're not going to wander back out into the desert."

"Returning to that sandy wasteland is the last thing I want to do. I would prefer that you were more honest with your reasoning."

"What do you mean?" Cherri asked defensively.

"I can see it in your eyes... you don't really want to left alone here, do you?" Ignis turned to face the Maiden, an unreadable expression on his face. Cherri looked at her feet.

"I... understand... what Mr. Ozpin's intentions are. He wants to keep me safe from anyone who might want to misuse or steal my power."

"That's not an answer."

"Geez," the young woman laughed unconvincingly. "Do all you 'Guardian' types press people this hard for information?" Cherri immediately felt a pang of regret as she saw a dark look cross the Bloodline's face. He turned away from her and returned to silently staring out at the desert. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"As much as I'd like to be, I'm not a Guardian," Ignis spoke after a few moments.

"But when you were telling me about your world, you said that Guardians were heroes that used their abilities to help others. How can you fight alongside them, but not be one of them? You said you weren't part of that 'Earth Defense Coalition'... Oh..." Cherri came to a terrible realization. "You were..."

"I was once 'Lord Ignis' to the world. A monster responsible for killing hundreds and burning cities to the ground. Even after I had left the Order, there were still plenty of people rightfully calling for my head. However, thanks to the Reaper... I was given another chance," the Bloodline explained. "But, I'm not foolish enough to count myself as a part of his organization."

"Ryan-" Cherri started, trying to use the ex-Lord's real name.

"I'm sorry," he cut her off. "I need some time alone to focus myself."

"I- Okay. Just don't stay out here too long." The Maiden took a few steps back towards her home before stopping and turning back. "You were right, by the way... I was tired of being alone.. So... for what it's worth... thank you, Ryan. You're a better person than you give yourself credit for." Then, without another word, she left the Bloodline to his thoughts.

* * *

"O-oh! Lord Agony!" an Order Knight stammered. "What brings you here?"

"What brings me to the holding cells aboard my own ship, Knight? I wish to speak to the prisoners." Agony narrowed his eyes, coming to a stop a few steps from his subordinate.

"Er... about that, my Lord..." the Knight shifted nervously. Agony leaned in, his voice warning, eyes filled with a dangerous light. He spoke slowly, enunciating every word.

"What. Happened. Knight."

* * *

"CARNAGE!" Agony roared. The other Lord silently cursed as his superior stormed towards him. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"

"I- AGH!" Carnage yelped as pain lanced across his entire being. He knew it wasn't really there, as he lacked the necessary... parts.. to actually experience it, but it didn't really matter to him at the moment.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT KIND OF TROUBLE YOU HAVE CAUSED!?" Agony raged at his fellow Lord. Despite being mostly machine, Carnage groaned and winced at the constant stream of pain. With a wave of his hand, Agony stopped the other Lord's suffering. "We will have to accelerate our plans. Nikos will, without a doubt, attempt to contact the Senate. If he informs them of what has transpired, they will not hesitate to call for assistance. We must prevent them from alerting their neighboring Kingdoms to our presence."

"What... would you... have me do?" Carnage wheezed as the pain slowly faded from his body.

"Ready the ships."

* * *

"Freeze, _Senator_ ," an Order soldier commanded, leveling his rifle at Peleus. "You're coming with us. How many broken bones you've got at the end of our trip back to the ship is up to you." Peleus quickly scanned back and forth. He had taken a wrong turn and gotten cornered underneath a cliff.

"Over my dead body," Peleus spat.

"Unfortunately, that won't do. Lord Carnage wants you alive." The soldier waved his four fellow members of the Order towards the Senator. "I recommend you surrender."

"Cooperate and no one gets hurt," another Order soldier stated, grabbing Peleus' arm.

"Good, we got him. Let's get moving before-" the soldiers' heads snapped up and looked around as several small stones fell from the cliff above them. "Sir, I think we're being watched."

"Acolytes Pyre and Obsidian, stay with the prisoner. The rest of us will check it out," the lead soldier instructed. His commands were met with sounds of acknowledgment. Three of the Order troops began to pick their way around the cliff, searching for a way up. Their path took them further and further away from Peleus and his two armored captors. A twig snapped nearby, causing the two Acolytes to raise their rifles at the dark trees. The one called "Pyre" stepped nearer to the thick shadows.

"I guess it was noth-" the soldier began before four long slashes appeared in across his armor's chest. He fell to the ground with a thud. Peleus only had a moment to register another form in black armor darting from the trees and subduing the other Acolyte before they could raise the alarm.

Peleus' rescuer had long blood-red hair and vibrant green eyes- just like- No. He shook his head. Agony was a man, and clearly older, while his savior was both female and appeared to be in her early thirtires.

"Come with me, before the others ones get back," the woman instructed the Senator, carefully taking him by the forearm. Her hands were covered by a pair of black gauntlets, the fingertips ending in blade-like spikes. Aside from that, her only other armor was a pair of metal boots and a simple chestplate.

"Thank you for the rescue," Peleus breathed as she pulled him through the trees at a run, "but who are you?" Her head whipped back and forth as she kept an eye out for the other three Order soldiers. She took a moment to make eye contact with Peleus.

"My name is Eve."

* * *

 **A/N: Not sure why, but I feel like this chapter is off somehow. I can't really put my finger on it. In other news, I'm finally back! Sorry that it took a while longer than expected. I will keep trying to stay on top of my "one chapter a day" rule, but updates may become more erratic.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **Thanks to everyone for their support and understanding!**


	17. Chapter 16

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 16**_

Chaos shifted and yawned on the floor of yet another cave he and Melody had taken shelter in for a night. A slight wave of his hand revealed that his ability had _still_ not yet returned. For some reason, the fact that he remained powerless did not irk him. In fact, he felt... calm. The Bloodline allowed his eyes to adjust to the light filtering in through the cave's entrance. Cold morning air slowly pushed its way in, causing the vines at the tunnel's mouth to sway gently.

Melody's powers were certainly odd. In the time since she had started following Chaos, they had seen barely any Grimm wandering the woods. Even in a rare case where they had stood less than twenty feet from a Beowolf pack, the creatures had ignored them. But no matter how he tried to work it out, Chaos could still not explain how she had somehow disabled his abilities. He shrugged to himself, finding that his oddly relaxed state made him not worry too much about-

 _Why is that girl still alive!?_

 _Never mind. There it goes._ Chaos thought irritatedly, his calm state evaporating as the voice in his head wound up for another day of screeching. He attempted to sit up from where he lay on the cave floor. The ex-Lord became aware of an arm draped over his waist. He tossed a look at the limb's owner.

Melody lay curled up next to him, likely seeking warmth because of the frigid air outside. Chaos grunted idly to himself, carefully moving the girl's arm with one of his bony hands, holding her appendage like it was a container of a particularly caustic substance. He rose to his feet and exited the cave's mouth, leaving Melody to shiver uncomfortably in her sleep as her body registered the cold.

Their refuge for the night stood atop a small rocky mountain, just high enough to allow the Lord to see over the vast expanse of verdant forestation and into the distance. The skeletal outlines of once-proud skyscrapers appeared as tiny blips on the horizon. "Mountain Glenn", if Chaos recalled correctly. He'd made a short stop in the ruined city once when he'd been tracking Greene and his allies two years earlier. Hopefully his powers would return by the time he arrived at the structures' edge.

 _Kill that girl this instant! I taught you better than this!_

"If you haven't noticed, I still don't have access to any of my abilities," Chaos replied shortly. He'd have usually yelled back at the woman's voice in his mind, but perhaps his relaxed state had not been completely eradicated.

 _Then find another way, you imbecile! Get a rock and smash her skull in, for all I care! Just get it done! As long as she still breathes, she is a loose end we cannot risk! Or have you reverted to being a worthless excuse for an Inheritor of Chaos?_

"Shut up!" Chaos yelled suddenly, his anger boiling over. "I'm sick and tired of doing things your way!"

 _You really HAVE lost your way, child. Did you forget that doing things my way made you STRONG!? My way allowed you to destroy hundreds of obstacles that stood in your path! My way was what allowed you to kill the old Terror and that weakling Vortex! MY WAY is the reason you are still alive! What has brought on the return of this sniveling, infantile weakness!?_

"Get the hell out of my head!" Chaos screamed, causing small Nevermores to scatter from the trees at the foot of the mountain. The Bloodline felt the presence silently withdraw from the forefront of his mind, leaving him with a sweet, blessed quiet to think. Unfortunately, his relaxed state no longer seemed to be an option. Chaos sat down hard on the ground, the voice's last sentence echoing constantly in his ears.

What had changed? What was wrong with him? Just two weeks earlier, he had been consumed with exacting his revenge on Greene and the other members of the EDC. Chaos had planned on making his old enemies watch as he ripped their friends apart one by one with an honest-to-God smile on his face. Now, though? He was picking his way towards Mountain Glenn, yes, but he actually hadn't given all that much thought to revenge ever since meeting Melody. Had meeting her changed, or perhaps... awoken... something in him? He shook his head, conceding that he could not understand what he was experiencing.

The silence let the Bloodline's thoughts wander, and an unbidden image flashed in front of his eyes. Two years earlier, there had been a family. A man, his wife, and a child. The parents had begged for their lives and the life of their son, and Chaos, with a grin, had delighted in ignoring them. For some reason, the child's face came back to haunt him. As Chaos had reached out to end the boy's life, the youth had adopted a defiant look for the last few seconds. No, not defiance... hate. Unbridled, seething hatred was what had been painted in his eyes.

Chaos looked at his hands, swearing for a moment that they were slick and reddened with the blood of the countless people he had slaughtered. He could hear their voices, all cursing him. Men and women. Young and old.

"Why!? Why is this happening!?" Chaos yelled, placing his hands over his ears as the cacophony of voices threatened to deafen him. The young boy's face reappeared, his hair and eyes flashing for an instant to white and red. Then, like that, the child was gone. The voices subsided.

Chaos opened his eyes, not realizing that he had shut them from the pain he had experienced. A pair of gentle arms had wrapped themselves around his chest, a warm sensation washing over the Bloodline from the contact. A head of silver hair and a pair of sapphire-blue eyes studied him worriedly.

"Are you alright? I woke up and you were yelling..." Melody asked, loosening her hold on Chaos. He nodded stiffly. "Are you... sure? Because..." She reached across with a hand, wiping streaks of water from the Bloodline's face.

"Don't... concern yourself with it..." Chaos choked out, taking shaky deep breaths in an attempt to slow his heart rate. Melody kept her hold on him for several minutes while the ex-Lord calmed himself. Once she seemed sure he wasn't in any pain, the worry disappeared from the silver-haired girl's face, quickly being replaced with her normal cheer.

"So," she said, "I gave it some thought about what you said a while ago..."

"About what?"

"Your name. You know, that you didn't have one?" Melody answered. Chaos nodded, recalling his short reply to her inquiry about his identity. "I figured that I need something else to call you besides 'Chaos', so I came up with a name for you. What do you think of the name 'Chess'?"

"'Chess'?" Chaos asked, "You mean like the board game?"

"Yup! I thought it suited you, y'know, because of the black armor and white hair," Melody pointed to each feature in question as she named them. "So, it's kinda like the color of the tiles on a chessboard." Chaos remained silent for several moments. "Do you not like it?" Another handful of seconds ticked by.

"You could've come up with far worse," the Bloodline replied, standing to look out towards Mountain Glenn. "I'm going to pack up and start moving. Don't expect me to wait for you." He moved back into the cave to retrieve his few belongings.

"I'm going to take that as a 'yes, I love it'!" Melody called after him. Despite his threat of leaving her behind, the silver-haired girl could swear the ex-Lord was moving packing slower than usual on purpose. She hefted her small leather pouch over her right shoulder and stood near the cave's mouth. "Ready to go, Chess?" Chaos grunted and walked past her, though not with quite the same flair of hostility as usual. Melody smiled to herself once his back was to her. It looked like she was making some progress.

The pair picked their way down the mountain and into the emerald trees, setting their heading for the distant skyscrapers on the horizon. Chaos could not hear it, but the voice in his head seethed to herself within the deep recesses of his mind.

 _Take pleasure from your insignificant rebellion, worthless child. Soon, you'll see that you need my help to survive. After all... Mother knows best._

* * *

Peleus coughed and wheezed as he leaned against a tree, taking a moment to catch his breath and better observe his rescuer. The woman who had saved him would have fit in well in Mistral. She had an athletic build and carried herself with a sort of liquid grace, a warrior's bearing.

Still, something bothered Peleus about this woman, Eve, she had called herself. Shades of red hair and green eyes were not uncommon in Mistral, but both Eve and Agony possessed an uncanny hue of bloody crimson locks as opposed to the more common Autumn or cherry reds that sat atop a good portion of heads on the continent. Furthermore, the gauntlets and boots she used were identical in color scheme to Agony's forces.

Still, Peleus couldn't deny that she had saved him from being dragged back to Agony. That had to count for something. He took a deep breath, attempting to calm his nerves. What would his wife have done in this situation? Thetis had always been the optimist among the two of them. She would have tried to see the best in Eve, to trust the odd woman until she had reason not to. But Peleus was not his wife, and such optimistic reasoning is what allowed Agony to gain a foothold in their Kingdom.

 _But was it not your pessimistic thoughts that resulted in your capture in the first place?_ Peleus' conscience whispered, _You didn't have to follow Agony. You could have voiced your suspicions in a different way. And if you had never been caught, Thetis would still be alive._

Peleus shook his head. Brooding on such thoughts would only slow him down at the moment. Thankfully, further distraction from his wandering mind came in the form of a canteen of water. Eve held it out to him in her left hand. The Senator managed to croak out a "thank you", accepting the container of refreshing liquid.

"Once you feel ready, we should keep moving," Eve stated, her emerald eyes scanning the nearby trees for any pursuers. "I assume you know this area well?"

"Yes..." Peleus breathed, lowering the canteen from his lips. "I grew up here. We're about twelve miles South of Pike's Bluff." The Senator noticed no recognition of the landmark cross Eve's face.

"Good. Can I ask to rely on you as a guide? In exchange, I can try to keep the Order off your back."

"'Order'?"

"The group chasing you. That's what they're call... ed..." Eve trailed off as she seemed to realize something. "Where _is_ this?"

"You're on the continent of Mistral," Peleus answered. He narrowed his eyes slightly, not sure what to make of this exchange.

"No, I mean... the planet."

"Remnant." Eve remained silent for several long moments as if she were having trouble processing.

"I... see..." she muttered before quickly regaining her composure. "Nevermind. That doesn't matter right now. I have people I need to find. I just need someone to help me find my way."

"While I'm thankful for you saving me," Peleus said, standing straighter and preparing his aura in case he wound up provoking the strange woman, "I think I need you to answer something first. Do you know a man named Godfrey Evrain?" Eve didn't need to answer the Senator, he saw a mixture of raw negative emotions pass across her face, hate the chiefest among them. "Alright. That'll do. Peleus Nikos." He extended a hand to her.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Nikos," Eve nodded, taking his hand carefully.

"Now that that's out of the way... let me get my bearings. We should be able to see the Kingdom if we get high enough... Ah, perfect! There's a hill there that should do nicely." Peleus led the way up the side of the tall incline, Eve trailing a short distance behind him. The Senator looked to the North, hoping to spot his home in the distance. He very quickly wished he hadn't.

Eve stood beside Peleus as he saw the fires in the distance. The proud Mistral stonework that had stood for thousands of years had come crumbling down in a matter of days. In the skies above, five ships made of blackened metal hovered menacingly. The Order had taken over the Kingdom.

* * *

 **A/N: Progress! I actually really liked writing Chaos' portion of this chapter, and am really happy with how it turned out.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **Review Replies**

 **Thanks to Skaana and Welcometodalolz for leaving reviews for the last chapter!**


	18. Chapter 17

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

 _ **CHAPTER 17**_

* * *

Alex yawned to himself as Patch's light breezes passed over him, the setting sun causing him to shield his eyes. Ruby and Yang had decided to pack the last few of their dwindling days in their hometown with as much activity as they could, in this case, a trip to the beach. Even though the next semester at Beacon was still a ways off, the two sisters didn't want to fall out of practice by taking things easy too long. Despite Taiyang's requests that they slow down and stay longer, Ruby and Yang adamantly decided to keep to their schedule and return to Vale in a few days.

"Tired?" Luna sat down next to Alex on the bench he was located on. The wooden seat looked like it had seen far better days. Its planks were chipped and jagged along the edges, and faded green paint peeled off at odd angles.

"A little," Alex nodded as Luna nudged closer and leaned into his shoulder.

"We saw you just sitting up here on your own and got worried that you were feeling left out," Luna nodded towards the nearby sandy beach, where Ryland, Ruby, and Yang were tossing a frisbee between each other while Zwei darted around happily underneath the flying disc.

"Nah, more worn out than anything," Alex replied.

"You getting old on me already?" Luna joked, planting a quick peck on his cheek.

"Maybe," the blond soldier smiled back. The couple sat quietly for a few moments, watching their three younger friends play in the sand. The silence was broken as the pair let out chuckles of amusement as Yang chucked the frisbee hard enough to knock Ryland off his feet. Zwei dove upon the downed boy, quickly licking his face and stealing the frisbee. Ruby gave chase to the Corgi while Yang helped Ryland up off the ground. The blonde student rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

Ruby returned shortly with Zwei in her arms, the dog still holding the frisbee firmly in his jaws. Ryland checked the watch secured on his right wrist and said something Alex and Luna couldn't quite make out from a distance. The message was clear enough, as the trio joined Alex and Luna next to the bench.

"Time to head back?" Luna inquired once the others were in earshot.

"Yeah," Yang nodded, "Dad wants all of us back for dinner."

"He's worried Yang and Ryland are being... naughty," Ruby grinned impishly as the two in question began turning bright red. "Considering how these two go at it sometimes, I can't say I blame him."

"I- We- You- Ruby!" Yang managed to splutter out.

"What?" the red-cloaked girl's smile widened. "You two can get kinda loud." The red on Ryland's face had spread to the tips of his ears.

"Alright," Alex cut in, "stow the chatter for now and let's head back." Luna nodded her agreement, and the two rose to their feet. The five of them started their walk back to the girls' house, Ruby still holding the family pet in her arms. Yet another mischievous look crossed the cloaked girl's face, causing Alex to suddenly wonder whether or not she had picked up any bad habits by hanging around the members of the EDC. Ruby seemed to answer this thought by slowing her pace until she was beside Yang and whispering something in her sister's ear. Alex was close enough to pick out the words.

"Personally, being an aunt sounds kinda fun." Yup. Ruby had _definitely_ picked up _something._

Yang suddenly began chasing Ruby in a loose circle, the latter of whom responded by yelling, "I have a Zwei-shield! You can't harm me!" The two sisters quickly slowed down, both laughing at the exchange.

"Sorry, Ruby," Yang breathed out between subsiding laughs, "but I think you'll have to wait on that until I'm sure Dad or Uncle Qrow won't kill Ry."

"Not sure that danger is going to pass," Ryland quipped. "Your Dad's kinda... 'hug-y'... and he's not great in the 'holding-back' department."

"I'm totally worth it though, right?" Yang elbowed him in the ribs.

"You're extremely lucky that you are," the orange-haired soldier laughed before being silenced by a quick kiss from the blonde student.

Alex shook his head and chuckled at the back-and-forth. Judging from the look on Luna's face, she was having a difficult time not bursting out laughing at the antics unfolding in front of them. Ruby seemingly decided to stop teasing the younger couple. She placed Zwei on the ground and fell back to speak with the two soldiers for the rest of the trip.

"Are you glad to came along?" Ruby asked.

"Definitely," Luna nodded, "Patch is beautiful, Ruby. Thank you for inviting us."

"I'm glad you think so. I wanted to show you guys around before..." Ruby trailed off.

"Ruby?" Alex said worriedly as the girl's mood seemed to shift suddenly.

"I... wanted to make sure I got to spend as much time with everyone as possible... before I can't anymore..." Yang and Ryland slowed down, both their expressions becoming concerned at Ruby's words. Alex waved the two of them and Luna ahead, hanging back to speak to the small girl.

"Ruby, you know none of us are going anywhere, right?"

"You might not... but I- I was just thinking about my Mom... how she barely spent anytime at home... Sure, it was cool having a superhero for a parent... but..."

"You're afraid that your duties as a Huntress will prevent you from seeing the people you care about?" Alex guessed.

"Yeah," Ruby nodded sadly. "It's kinda dumb to have these thoughts when I'm so close to finishing my training, isn't it?"

"Not at all," Alex shook his head. "Just remember that we'll all be waiting for you when you get back." Ruby remained silent for a few moments.

"Thanks, Alex," she smiled. "You're the best 'big brother' I could ask for."

"It's in the contract," the soldier joked, lightly placing a reassuring hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"Careful, Alex, or all Ryland will have left is marrying Yang." The cloaked girl let a calm grin spread across her face. She wrapped her arms around the blond's waist to give him a quick hug. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Ruby."

* * *

Blake found herself floating amongst an ocean of stars, the four stars of the Seasons positioned directly in front of her. The glowing orbs blinked and struggled to stay alight. The Summer star faded into darkness for a moment, then suddenly burned with new light. But it was not a kind or warm light, instead, the glow began to steadily grow, threatening to swallow its sisters. Summer sprouted large tendrils of flame, reaching out for its fellow stars. Winter and Spring seemed to shy away, but the Fall star was hit, stripping away most of its glow and leaving behind nothing but a faintly blinking golden orb.

Blake watched this process go on and on. Eventually, the Summer star grew to an immense size, swallowing its sisters and turning a bright white color. Blake shielded her eyes from the now-blinding light as the star continued to increase in size. It grew closer and closer to her, threatening to swallow the young Faunus student as well.

"-Lake. Blake," Dimitri's voice sounded from nowhere in particular. Blake felt herself being shaken lightly.

"Hmm?" Blake groaned out and her eyes blinked open. Her right cheek was rested on the page of one of many astronomy books laid out around her. She was in the dorm's common area, which she had slowly converted into her personal study area over the course of the last week or so. Numerous tomes were strewn about, all relating to the scientific, historical, or mythological significance of the four stars. Unable to shake that feeling of impending doom, Blake had dedicated almost all of her time to studying them.

"Did you fall asleep in here?" the Russian inquired. She nodded, stretched, and yawned. "Blake, you can't keep doing this."

"I'm sorry..." the black-haired student bowed her head. Dimitri sighed.

"You shouldn't be apologizing to me," he reached out and patted Blake's head. "I know you're a capable young woman, but you need to take better care of yourself."

"I just can't get those stars out of my head," Blake's bow twitched in annoyance. "I can't explain it."

"You're not alone in that," Firo stated, entering into the common area through a set of double doors. She was carrying a small tray with a teapot and several cups. Blake quickly cleared a spot for the rabbit-eared woman to set the items down. "I'm not sure why, but I've been uneasy since we saw the stars acting up."

"There's more than that," Dimitri added. "Several of our friends in Vale are experiencing varying degrees of this..." He searched for the right word.

"Paranoia?" Blake supplied.

"I suppose you could call it that. The point is, all the people affected seem to be Faunus."

"So it's what? Some sort of instinctual response? To the stars?" Blake tilted her head in confused thought.

"I couldn't say," Dimitri shrugged. "Still, you should take a break." He poured each of them a cup of hot tea.

"Thank you," Blake said softly, taking a sip of the hot liquid. The three of them sat quietly and relaxed for several minutes. Firo adopted a contemplative look. Blake looked at her questioningly.

"This is just a thought, Blake, but what if we're looking at this the wrong way?"

"What do you mean?"

"I remember an old story my father used to tell me..." Firo paused for a moment to recall the tale. "Essentially, the story spoke about how Faunus' had a natural instinct to inform us of close danger... What if the stars are nothing but a coincidence, and all of us are feeling something else?"

* * *

Agony stood in the center of the Mistral Senate auditorium, the once-proud room dark and devoid of people. Large pieces of rubble and the occasional bloodstain dotted the stands. Enigma sat atop a section of the roof that had fallen to the ground. The High Lord of the Order turned to face the room's entrance as it swung open. Europa, Golem, and Carnage entered through the doors, bits of stone and glass cracking under their feet.

"You called, Lord Agony?" Golem bowed.

"Indeed, my friends," the aging red-haired Lord nodded. "I once again have need of your services."

"Who do you wish for us to crush?" Carnage asked, a smile breaking across his skull-like face.

"From this city's databanks, I have learned the precise locations of the other large settlements. Once we are fully entrenched in this position, we must bring the other three Kingdoms to their knees so they are unable to interrupt us while I find our forces a way back to Earth," Agony explained. "Enigma, if you would, please..." The small female Lord hopped off her perch and held out a small holographic projector to her superior. Agony nodded his head in quick acknowledgment and set the projector down upon the stone table in the center of the room.

A map of Remnant appeared in the air, allowing Agony to outline the rest of his plan. One Lord would travel to each Kingdom with one ship and cause as much damage as possible in a single strike. Golem would head towards the northern-most Kingdom of Atlas, Carnage would head to the western Kingdom of Vacuo, and Europa would head South to Vale.

"Now, you all need to prepare," Agony said, turning as the three Lords bowed their understanding. "Enigma, you will continue the hunt for Senator Nikos. Don't fail me." The young female nodded.

"Yes... my... Lord..."

* * *

Dimitri sat down next to Firo in their room, the edge of bed creaking under his weight. The snow-haired Faunus edged closer, hooking her arm around his and grasping the Russian's large hand.

"Is she okay?" Firo asked.

"Blake is one of the toughest young women we know," Dimitri assured, "I think she just needs some real sleep." Firo leaned her head against his shoulder and nodded, her single rabbit ear flopping lightly.

"How about you?" she inquired. "It can't be easy being the only one who's not frightened at whatever's going on..."

"Personally, I'm more worried about you, Blake, or one of the other Faunus getting hurt because of their fear..." Dimitri sighed, resting his cheek lightly on the top of Firo's head, careful to avoid folding her rabbit ear.

"Well, whether it's the stars or something else entirely... we'll be able to handle it together, right?" Firo rotated her head slightly so she was looking Dimitri in the eyes. Despite her best efforts, the Russian could still clearly make out evident fear and worry. He sat up straighter and pulled Firo into a warm embrace.

"We'll deal with anything fate can throw our way," he nodded, "I promise."

* * *

The darkness of night cloaked the dense forest surrounding Vale. In the depths of the trees, a woman with long flowing stark white hair and ghostly-pale skin tasted the air. Her tongue darted out of her mouth for an instant, much like a snake's. A delighted grin spread across her face as she detected the trail she was after. She licked her lips hungrily.

"I suppose we'll finally meet soon..." She crossed her arms as if she were cold, shivering with gleeful anticipation. "I can almost taste it."

* * *

 **A/N: Threats have arrived on the horizon. Due to issues, the schedule for Bloody Evolution may slow down to updates every two to four days rather than every day. I will still upload chapters as quickly as I can though, so just expect things to occasionally get more sporadic!**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**


	19. Chapter 18

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 18**_

 _"All units be advised, additional Order forces closing from the Southwest. The distress beacon has been activated. I am deploying additional platoons now. Fall back to gateway position. Repeat, fall back to the gateway."_

Sven nodded to himself as Admiral Dietrich's message broadcast to all EDC and Guardian forces in the area. The Maw of the Abyss was still valiantly holding out against the larger force of smaller Order ships, though sizable sections of its hull had been peeled away by missiles and plasma. As Dietrich had promised, a wave of transports and gunships was beginning to descend on the city to lend their support.

"Sam," the Reaper spoke into his own radio, "go ahead and make a move for the gate when you get a chance. I'll grab Rei and follow."

"Gotcha," Sam replied. "Hold up for a sec." A trio of rifle cracks echoed off the ruined buildings, followed by the shrieks of a Banshee that had managed to pass Sven's notice. "See you at the gate. Don't take too long."

Sven broke off towards Rei's position, taking swings at Shades and Order troops with his scythe as he ran. A moment of respite presented itself as Sven left the area where the fighting was heaviest, allowing the Reaper to slow his pace. A part of him regretted the decision, as some of his adrenaline subsided and he became aware of the lancing pain across his body.

His fight with Ion had not gone off without a hitch. The Lord's lightning-based attacks had successfully overloaded the Guardian's shields and left patches of severe burns across both the armor and Sven's skin underneath. He winced in pain, concentrating to activate his quickened healing. Not for the first time, Sven idly wished that his regenerative ability was automatic instead of needing his direct input.

Ion and Enmity had retreated not too long after Eve had left, due in no small part to Rei breaking several the female Lord's ribs. Left without his partner, Ion had fallen back, but had continued to let his sizable force attempt to seize the EDC position.

Sven became aware of further injuries on his person, including several bullet wounds and what felt like a dislocated shoulder. He quickly dealt with the arm so his ability to fight wasn't hindered, but decided to save his dwindling energy for dealing with Rei's inevitable injuries. The wreckage of a large car flew across the Reaper's field of view.

"There he is," Sven whispered out loud. Rei was a good friend and a peerless brute in a fight, but he wasn't exactly what someone would call "subtle". Upon rounding the corner from where the vehicle had flown, Sven bore witness to Rei finishing off a Behemoth by clubbing its head off with a streetlamp. The Rage Inheritor's beast-like visage snapped towards the Reaper, letting out a growl as if he were awaiting instructions. "Dietrich's dropping in the big guns to help mop up the rest of the Order. He wants us to head back to the gateway."

Rei's head inclined once to nod his understanding. He deactivated his ability, the dark gray armor that had covered him fading into black mist. Without the plating supporting him, the Rage Inheritor began to fall. Thankfully, Sven was used to doing this, and was ready to support his friend.

Rei looked absolutely terrible. Blood streamed from his left nostril and corner of his mouth. His legs were barely holding him up, and his right arm hung limply at his side. Sven assumed that he was likely sporting several broken ribs and more bruises than he could ever hope to count as well.

"Alright, what's the most pressing beyond the legs and arm?" the Reaper asked, carefully lowering and leaning Rei against a wall and going to work with his ability on his friend's injured limbs.

"I can survive the rest," Rei adamantly coughed out, leaving a small amount of blood on his gauntlet as he covered his mouth with his fist.

"Sounds like a punctured lung," Sven stated, placing his right hand over the organ in question and concentrating. "There. I'll leave the rest of your idiotic pride intact."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Now, let's get moving to the gateway." Sven offered Rei his hand to allow the other Guardian to stand up.

* * *

The pair worked their way back towards the EDC position, the sounds of gunshots and the steady pulse of artillery fire drawing ever closer. By this point, Sven had deactivated his Bloodline ability to conserve as much energy as possible. The pair of Guardians stepped out onto a main road that gave them a straight path to the gateway's location.

A wall of Shades stood between them and the EDC, all varieties of the shadowy puppets swarming about like Piranhas. Blasts of fire erupted among their numbers as the EDC artillery strikes impacted the ground. The Maw above them had reduced all but six of its opponents to burning slag, and continued to trade fire with the remainder.

"Sam," Sven tapped his radio, "looks like our planned path to you is blocked. You got a work-around?"

"Hold on, let me find you... There you both are," Sam replied. Sven caught a glimpse of scope glare from the top of a mostly-intact skyscraper near their destination. "The Order has the ground routes locked down, but it's turned into a stalemate for the moment. You might be able to pick your way through them if they haven't noticed you."

"Copy that," Sven nodded. "What do you think, Rei? Up for a little more fighting?"

"I don't think we'll have to," Rei answered, "Take a look." The Rage Inheritor pointed at the sky. Bubbles of distorted space began to form in the air, rippling and shimmering. The mirage-like entities burst open into over a dozen portals, through which ships bearing EDC insignias arrived.

 _"_ _This is EDC-MATF-Naval Group 12, responding to your distress beacon. We are en-route to assist."_

"Cavalry sure took its time getting here," Rei commented.

* * *

"Ah, crap," Sam muttered aloud as he gazed on the damaged form of his gateway. The EDC was now in the process of mopping up the last of the Order forces. When the additional allied vessels had shown up, Ion and Enmity had promptly retreated with their remaining ships.

The fighting had left the gateway in poor condition. Bullet holes spat sparks angrily, and the device's power supply was leaking pools of bright cyan coolant. The problems just seemed to be piling up.

"How long do you think it'd take to fix it?" Sven asked from his seat nearby on a piece of rubble. Rei was elsewhere, having his additional injuries treated by an EDC medic.

"No idea at the moment, but there's a more pressing concern."

"What's that?"

"The-" Sam's explanation was drowned out as an EDC Dragonfly dropship came to a hovering stop above them and began to lower itself to the ground. A single passenger disembarked the craft. A Guardian with long blood-red hair in a functional ponytail. She waved a farewell to the pilot of the transport that had dropped her off and turned her bright green eyes towards the other two Guardians.

"Sven! Are you okay?" she yelled as she ran over.

"Still in one piece, El. Don't worry."

"Really? Then why are you leaving a trail of blood?" she narrowed her eyes at him before roughly placing a hand over the injuries. She closed her eyes for a moment and the wounds stopped bleeding and closed. "What have I said about staying safe?"

"He doesn't listen because _you_ constantly heal him if he goes overboard," Sam supplied. "Evening, Elise."

"Hi, Sam," the redhead nodded. "Well, if Sven isn't going to take care of himself, I guess it's up to me."

"You're the best little sister, you know that?" Sven stated, smiling at the banter.

"Flattery isn't gonna let you off the hook," Elise smirked. "So what's happening here?"

"I was explaining the status of the gateway," Sam gestured to the damaged device. "The system isn't picking up the beacon we sent through before. It's possible that either the transmitter or the gate itself has been desynchronized due to damage. That, or the transmitter was never activated."

"Wait," Sven stood up from his seated position, "please don't tell me that we ended up stranding Eve."

"What?" Elise's ears perked up, "What does Eve have to do with this?"

"We sent her through the gate earlier along with a beacon for the gate to open in a specific location. However, that signal isn't working," Sam explained.

"Why'd you send her through by herself!?" Elise demanded.

"Sam was supposed to go with her, but the portal closed before he got through," Sven said placatingly. He put a hand on Elise's shoulder, getting her to take a deep breath and calm down.

"Sam," the female Guardian breathed out slowly, "Fix the gateway as soon as you can to send another beacon through. I'll take it myself while you work on finishing the repairs."

"That's exceedingly risky," Sam replied,"but not impossible. I can construct a second beacon and get the gate to open a small portal with a few days of time... but you realize that you'll have to search for Eve on your own. There's no guarantee that you'll pop out where she did."

"You sure you don't want me to come along as well?" Sven asked.

"No, you and Rei need to rest and defend this side," Elise shook her head. "I can't really trust anyone more than you two to do that. Don't worry, I'll find her-" Sven cut her off, placing both his hands on her shoulders.

"-'Because that's what family does'. I know."

* * *

"Got everything packed?" Luna asked, settling in next to Alex on a couch in Ruby and Yang's home.

"Yeah," the blond soldier nodded. "We should be good to go tomorrow." Luna edged closer and hugged his arm.

"It was kinda short, but it was fun, right?"

"It was. Shame it has to come to an end, but that's how life goes," Alex shrugged.

"Back to the old grind," Luna smiled and winked at him.

"I guess so," Alex chuckled. Luna yawned. "If you want to turn in for the day, I'll be there in a bit. Just gotta shoot a message to Dimitri and the others letting them know when we'll arrive."

"Alright," Luna quickly kissed him, "just don't stay up _too_ long." The blue-haired woman rose from her seat and gave Alex a parting wave as she ascended the stairs of the house. The blond soldier quickly typed out a quick text to Dimitri, letting the Russian know they would be arriving in Vale around noon. His old friend responded quickly with an affirmation and let Alex know that he would meet them when they got back.

A series of footsteps caused the EDC Major to look up. Ryland sat down across from him, an oddly muted expression on his face. Alex placed his scroll on the coffee table and sat up to speak with his fellow soldier.

"What's up?" he inquired, tilting his head slightly.

"Nothing, really," Ryland sighed. "Just... thinking about home..."

"Your parents?" Alex said understandingly.

"Yeah..." the orange-haired boy nodded. "It just hit me... that they probably think they lost both their kids to the war back home... I dunno, meeting with Yang's Dad just started me thinking."

"Well, you're definitely more complicated than you'd have people believe," a voice commented. The two soldiers turned to find Qrow leaning against the doorway to the house's kitchen, a bottle of some sort of alcohol in his hand. He took a gulp of the liquor before continuing to speak. "Guess I can respect that. People tend to look at you sideways if you share everything." Qrow sat down roughly next to Alex. "The ability to keep things to yourself, even from people you trust... guess that's both a blessing and a curse."

Alex noticed Ryland's expression fall a bit, likely because he felt guilty for not sharing how he felt with Yang. He noticed that Qrow seemed to be observing them.

"I don't think Ryland was planning on keeping it from Yang forever," Alex commented, shooting the young soldier a glance, "right?"

"Y- yeah. Right," Ryland nodded quickly.

"Well, it ain't none of my business what you keep locked up in your own head. But, I need you both to do something for me..." Qrow's expression sobered. "I have a message from Ozpin. He says that there is something he needs to speak to you EDC-types about. But, he says if you aren't capable of keeping what he wants to say secret, that you can back out now." The Huntsman paused as the two soldiers eyed him warily. "So, what'll it be?"

* * *

 **A/N:** **This one turned out okay, I think. Pacing might be a tad off.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**


	20. Chapter 19

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 19**_

Cinder took a deep breath, relaxing as she walked Beacon's moonlit halls. She had finally completed filling out all the paperwork Barnes had wanted her to. Her shoes clicked lightly against the floors tiles as she began to work her way towards her room.

Cinder couldn't deny that it felt odd to work alongside the same people she had actively been trying to destroy at one point. Thanks to the EDC, she and Emerald had gotten a chance to start over with a new perspective. She'd spent so many years blinded by hate that she had forgotten that there were still good people out there. Cinder allowed herself to smile softly.

She had been a bit skeptical at first, but the EDC had become her new home. The various soldiers that comprised the organization had welcomed her with open arms, despite her history. Barnes had vouched for her, protecting her from the Atlas and Vale councils when they came calling for her head. At this point, she trusted any of the members of the EDC to watch her back if needed, and in return, she'd make sure to keep a close-

Cinder paused and came to a stop as she heard noise from inside one of the offices she was passing. Ozpin's office. But what caught her attention wasn't the location, but the voice that was speaking, or rather yelling, on the other side of the door. She'd heard the voice daily for that last two years, but never with the tone and volume it was using now. Barnes was talking to Ozpin about something, and the EDC General sounded like he was furious. Against her better judgement, Cinder pressed her ear against the office door, straining to figure out what had made Barnes this angry.

* * *

"What the hell kind of answer is that!?" Barnes slammed a fist down on Ozpin's desk. "I'm not going to agree because you 'had a vision'!"

"Mr. Barnes," Glynda spoke from her position behind Ozpin, "please do not damage that desk. It's expensive, and I'm the one who will fill out the paperwork if it needs to be replaced."

"You have my deepest apologies, Glynda," Barnes snarled, "but I need a better idea of what the hell is going on."

"I'm afraid that information cannot be revealed to you at this time, Avery," Ozpin said calmly. "Just know that my foresights are rarely wrong."

"What good is keeping all these secrets doing for you, Ozpin?" the EDC General narrowed his eyes at the headmaster.

"I am only trying to work for the greater good of Remnant. The information I possess would be dangerous if it were to become public. That's why I am asking you and the other travelers from Earth to assist me."

"A 'greater good' that you don't feel like sharing in any amount of detail," Barnes snapped. "I'm not going to agree to send my troops to their deaths for a cause I know nothing about. Secrets and omitted intel is what causes missions to _fail_ , Ozpin, not succeed. You may have convinced James to join you on whatever crusade you've started, but I'm out until you feel like sharing."

"I am sorry to hear that," Ozpin replied sincerely. "I hope that you will reconsider, but I realize that it is your right to deny the invitation. Have a good evening, Avery."

Barnes replied with a grunt of acknowledgment, then stormed his way towards the door.

* * *

Cinder quickly moved away from the door as she heard the nearing footsteps, ducking behind a pillar. Barnes stepped out into the hallway, sighing heavily. Cinder peeked around the edge of her hiding place, seeing the EDC General silhouetted in the moonlight, rubbing his temples with his hands.

"Cinder," Barnes greeted, "you can come out." He looked in her general direction.

"Age clearly isn't slowing you down any if you're that sharp..." Cinder muttered, stepping out of from behind the pillar. Barnes gestured for her to follow him away from Ozpin's office. As the two walked down the hall, Cinder continued. "How did you know I was there?"

"Your footsteps aren't quite as silent as you think," Barnes smiled.

"Guess I'll have to ask Anika to give me some pointers," Cinder commented. "So, what's going on with Ozpin?"

"I couldn't tell you. Not in any great clarity, anyway. There's a part of me that wonders whether he's just being paranoid."

"How so?" Cinder quickly threw a look over her shoulder to make sure no one was eavesdropping.

"He's acting like there's a war on the horizon because he had... 'a vision' or something like that. Then, he expects people to help him without asking any questions because it's 'for the greater good'," Barnes answered sourly.

"Isn't the whole idea of 'for the greater good' what the EDC is based around as well?"

"That's what _protocol_ says," the General sighed. "But... rules tend not to care too much about the people who have to follow them. If we were to always follow protocol, all of the members of the EDC in Remnant would likely have died a long time ago."

"'Rules are made to be broken when needed', huh?" Cinder let out a puff of air and a smirk.

"Good, you _have_ been listening to my spiels," Barnes normally would have chuckled, but his current mood seemed to prevent that. "You'll understand my unease with how Ozpin is handling things then."

"He's... He's so certain that there's a fight coming that you're worried he'll see a battle where there is none? And that he's asking you and the other people from Earth to help him fight and possibly die without knowing anything at all?"

"Yep," Barnes nodded solemnly. "You got a winner." He sighed again. "It's not the prospect of there being a fight that bothers me, it's that it feels like Ozpin and whoever else he's pulled into his inner circle are looking for one. They've clearly got something big they want to destroy or protect, but that means an enemy will dedicate immense effort on their end."

"And keeping information like that quiet until it's too late could result in immense numbers of people getting killed," Cinder finished his thought.

"Not just 'people', Cinder. You, me, Alex, Dimitri, Emerald... any of the people we care about. If you become so obsessed with doing things for the good of the big picture like Ozpin, you wind up forgetting about the living beings that comprise that larger world."

"I doubt that's actually how he views it," Cinder commented analytically.

"I'm sure you're right. Ozpin, for all his faults, doesn't seem like a completely uncaring individual... but that's how he can seems from the point of view of someone outside looking in..." The General took a deep breath. "Sorry for making you listen to this old man's rant."

"As long as you buy me a coffee or something, all is forgiven," Cinder yawned. Barnes smiled.

"I can do that."

* * *

 _She will turn against you, you know. The only person you can really trust is me._

Chaos attempted to drown out the voice in his head as Melody chatted incessantly beside him. Both the girl and the disembodied voice had been oddly... talkative today. Melody kept throwing looks over her shoulder and shivering.

"Hey, Chess," the silver girl called to get the Bloodline's attention.

"What?" Chaos replied irritably, his mood having been long brought down by the lack of silence for the whole day.

"Is it just me, or does it kinda feel colder than usual? Especially for Summer?" Chaos simply shrugged at the question, though he was unable to deny that the weather had been strangely frigid. Despite being early Summer, the temperatures seemed to have firmly settled on behaving as if it were late Autumn.

Chaos banished the idle thoughts. If he wasn't able to even hazard a guess as to why the weather was behaving oddly, what business did he have worrying about it?

 _You have more important things to worry about._

As much as he hated to agree with the voice, it was right. He and Melody had arrived at the edge of Mountain Glenn that afternoon. As usual, the Grimm had left them alone while they had worked their way through the ruins. The pair had eventually settled on staying in a relatively undamaged structure, a four-storied apartment building filled with peeling wallpaper and shattered windows.

The young Bloodline found himself staring out at the distant lights of Vale. He was close, so close to getting his revenge.

"What're you thinking about, Chess?" Melody's voice interrupted his thoughts. "You've been staring out that window constantly for like, two hours."

"I have business in Vale," Chaos answered shortly. "There are people that need to die."

"But, why?" Melody asked. The ex-Lord detected something odd in her tone. Fear? It didn't feel like it was for his potential victims.

 _Now..._ The voice thought to itself, deciding to exert what influence it could over its host, pushing the weeks of pent-up frustration and anger to boil over in an instant.

"Because I am Chaos!" the ex-Lord yelled out suddenly, slamming his first into the wall. The exposed plaster did nothing but cut the physically weak Bloodline's hand. "How dense could you possibly be!?"

"You don't have to-" Melody tried to start, only to be cut off.

"No! You don't get it! I'm _not_ your friend! I never wanted to have you stapled to me! All you've done is hold me back!"

"Wait, Chess, why are you suddenly-"

"Shut up! I hate that name! I hate _you_!" A silence hung in the air as Melody only stared at him with wide, hurt eyes. Chaos breathed heavily, blood steadily dripping from his injured hand.

"I- I'm- s- sorry..." Melody choked out. Tears began to stream down her face. "I- I thought- that... maybe-" All the progress she thought she had made... all of it had been in her mind, hadn't it? She had always been alone, always would be. "I'm sorry."

Melody rose from her seat on a ruined bed and ran out the door, tears falling behind her. The sound of a door bursting open could be heard as she descended the stairs and exited out onto the street below. Her footsteps grew farther and farther away, until Chaos could no longer hear them.

The Bloodline turned away from the window to gaze upon the now empty room. Melody's bag lay abandoned on the floor.

 _Well done._ The voice congratulated him. _You finally dealt with the problem._

"I thought that you were worried she would warn somebody?" Chaos asked emotionlessly.

 _That's hardly a concern now that we are so close._ _Get some rest child, I trust our powers will return now that that worthless girl is gone._

"Right..." Chaos laid himself down on the floor. For some reason, various images of the girl he had just chased off flashed through his mind. His heart felt heavy as he remembered the odd warm sensation when she had embraced him. Her smiles. Her giving him a name... No. He had no time for such thoughts. Greene and the others came first. Once he was back up to full strength, he'd end them all... and that put a crazed smile on his face. The Bloodline of Discord closed his eyes, and let the frigid night air swallow him.

* * *

Melody felt herself begin to fall as her foot caught on the cracked rubble littering the streets of Mountain Glenn. She impacted the ground harshly, having made almost no effort to catch herself. She lay against the freezing concrete, tears continuing to puddle beneath her cheek.

Chess' last words to her echoed over and over in her mind. "I hate you". A phrase she had become all too familiar with since she had gotten her strange powers. No matter where she went, people would inevitably turn against her. They'd chase her away, usually out of fear. But, now it simply seemed that no one wanted her.

A set of soft footsteps drew her gaze. Melody was greeted by a lone Ursa which sniffed the air, looked directly at her, and padded off without a second thought. Not even Grimm thought she was worth anything. What kind of curse had she received? Why? What had she done to deserve being turned into a demon that absolutely everything shied away from?

Melody weakly pushed herself off the ground, a bloody dark-gray smudge on her cheek from when she had hit the aging pavement. Her gaze drifted to the distant lights of the Kingdom. Maybe she'd be able to disappear there... stay far away from Grimm and just... hide somewhere until she finally expired. She took a shaky step forward towards the lights, tears still blinding her. She just wanted this living nightmare to end.

* * *

 **A/N: This was a heavy one to write, for sure. I am a terrible person to characters. So, I've been wondering what you guys think of the story so far. Is it good? Bad? Batter or worse than LS? I'm curious what you all think.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**


	21. Chapter 20

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 20**_

Alex waved as he and the others disembarked the transport they had flown in on. It was a calm and beautiful afternoon in Vale, the buildings tinted a soft orange by the setting sun. Dimitri was waiting for their group to return, along with Blake, Firo, and Carbon. Alex was surprised as he also caught sight of Barnes, standing a short distance behind the other four. The EDC General shot him a look that clearly said, "We need to talk."

"Luna," Alex got his blue-haired companion's attention with a tap on her shoulder, "I'm going to talk to the General for a moment. You, Ryland, and the girls go ahead and catch up with everyone else, okay?"

"Sure," she nodded. "Just don't keep them waiting too long, I'm sure that they want to welcome you back too."

"I'll be sure to make it as quick as possible." Alex quickly stepped over to where Barnes was standing. The General guided him away from the others, finding a quiet corner in which to converse privately.

"Alex, I need you to help me with something," Barnes whispered.

"Sure thing, General," the soldier nodded. "What is it?"

"It's nothing too out of the ordinary... but I need as many extra pairs of eyes as I can get. I just need you and the others to keep an eye out for anything strange." Alex quickly looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was there.

"Is this about whatever secret Ozpin has?" A look of surprise passed over Barnes' face.

"Yes. How did you find out?"

"Ruby and Yang's uncle, Qrow. He extended an offer to both me and Ryland to join whatever it is Ozpin's doing. We both shot him down because of his lack of information."

"Good man," Barnes patted Alex's shoulder. "While I'm sure Ozpin's not up to anything nefarious... it doesn't feel right to not keep an eye out if he's gearing up for something. I've already asked Dimitri, Carbon, Firo, and Cinder to help me keep watch."

"I'll be happy to join them," Alex nodded, taking a short pause as a thought occurred to him. "What's the protocol if we _do_ notice something?"

"Hopefully, we'll find that Ozpin's just being paranoid and that there's nothing to be worried about... But, to be safe, inform everyone else as soon as you find something. And that includes Ozpin and whoever else he's got in his corner."

"Got it," Alex affirmed. "Should I ask anyone else to help us? Luna?"

"Miss Azure and Ryland would be fine, but we should consider keeping the kids out of it," Barnes motioned his chin in the direction of the three Beacon students. "They're capable and everything, but there's no reason to involve them if we can avoid it. However, I will leave that part up to your discretion." The General breathed a sigh, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "I won't hold you up any longer, Alex. I'll see you back at the Academy."

* * *

Luna's eyes perked up as Alex walked over to rejoin them. Ruby and Yang had quickly reunited with Blake, then dragged the Faunus girl off somewhere to catch up, leaving Luna and Ryland to speak to Dimitri, Firo, and Carbon.

"What did Mr. Barnes want?" Luna inquired.

"Nothing too important, I'll tell you and Ryland later," the blond soldier replied with a shrug. He exchanged a knowing look with the three adults that had stayed in Vale, causing Luna to tilt her head at him questioningly. A shared glance with Alex informed her that it _was_ important, and _not_ something that should be discussed in public. Ryland seemed to pick up on it as well, just as the trio of students reappeared, each holding a drink.

The three girls rejoined the group, quickly returning to catching up with their friends. Yang handed Ryland a soda as Carbon pulled them aside.

"So, how was it?" the Atlesian soldier asked. "You both have fun?"

"Yeah..." Ryland trailed off and winced at the memory of Taiyang's crushing hugs. "Though, in all honesty, it was a good trip. I'll just bring my body-armor next time."

"I thought it was great," Yang added happily. A smirk crossed her face as she leaned in. "Especially the parts where I got to spend some private time with Ry." The blonde girl winked as the end of the sentence. Carbon turned to Ryland with a grin.

"Please tell me you didn't ruin Yang's career by getting her pregnant." Ryland coughed on his soda.

"Wha- No!" the orange-haired soldier answered adamantly, though his cheeks blushed at the thought. Carbon and Yang both burst out laughing at his expression.

"Ever since you two started dating, you've become an easy target," the Atlesian man patted Ryland's shoulder. The younger man gave him a look of mock anger. "Anyway, enough of that. Good to hear you two had a fun time."

"You been getting lonely without us, Old Man?" Ryland smirked, taking a sip of his drink.

"Something like that," Carbon nodded, giving both of Yang and Ryland quick hugs. "Welcome back."

* * *

Later that evening, in one of Beacon academy's testing rooms, Alex found himself standing amongst his friends and teammates. He and Dimitri had quickly brought Luna and Ryland up to speed on what Barnes had spoken to them about. The two of them, of course, had agreed to help without hesitation. Once Arthur and Anika returned from their own trip, Alex planned to bring them in as well.

"So, on this subject," Alex started, "has anybody noticed anything out of the ordinary?"

"Well..." Firo said hesitantly, unsure of whether her thought qualified. "Dimitri and I already told General Barnes about this... but..." She trailed off. Despite her time with all of them, Firo still had moments where she had trouble talking to others. Dimitri put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and continued for her.

"There was a night where four stars in the sky began acting oddly," the Russian explained. "These specific stars have been linked to different legendary calamities, which we found out thanks to Blake. Shortly after, some people living in downtown Vale began displaying unusually fearful behavior. Whether it's because of the stars or something else, is unfortunately unclear." Firo nodded thankfully.

"Thank you, both of you," Alex said. "We should keep watch on the people in Vale, in case that leads anywhere. Other than that, everyone should continue to keep their ears to the ground. That means even rumors are potential leads. Keep each other informed."

"And we shouldn't bring the girls in on this?" Dimitri asked.

"I'd actually like to know your thoughts on that as well," Carbon nodded.

"Yeah, Bossman, doesn't it seem a little wrong to leave them out? Especially when it was Blake who tracked down Sarge and Firo's lead?" Ryland added.

"The General made it fairly clear that he didn't want to involve the students if possible," Alex answered.

"That's a little unfair..." Luna commented.

" _However_ ," Alex continued, "he also left the final decision up to me... And since we're going to try to bring in Arthur and Anika, who are both technically students... I personally don't have an issue with it. The girls have proven themselves time and time again, so I see no reason they couldn't help us now."

"Alright," Ryland nodded approvingly. "When should we ask them?"

"No time like the present," Carbon commented.

"Agreed," Alex stated.

* * *

Ruby was completely confused. Alex had sent her a message to meet him in one of the testing rooms after dinner. Apparently, both Yang and Blake had received identical instructions from Ryland and Firo respectively, and had joined Ruby after they had finished eating.

"What do you think they want to talk about?" Yang asked. "Ry's message seemed kinda... cryptic."

"Well," Ruby shrugged, "only one way to find out." The cloaked girl took a step forward and opened the testing room door. She stepped over the threshold, followed closely by her two teammates. The room was filled with people they recognized: Luna, Firo, Carbon, Ryland, Dimitri, and Alex. The six adults shifted from their positions as the girls entered.

"Dimitri? Firo? What's going on?" Blake asked.

"Take a seat first, Blake." the Russian soldier said kindly. "We'll explain in a moment." The trio of girls shared a look before seating themselves at one of two round steel tables in the room. Alex stepped forward to speak.

"Ruby. Yang. Blake. The six of us have a huge favor to ask of you. I'll preface this by saying that you don't _have_ to participate if you don't-"

"'Kay, I'm in," Ruby chimed.

"But..." Alex sputtered, "Um... But, you haven't even heard what the request is."

"Doesn't really matter," Ruby said seriously. "I trust you to do the right thing."

"I- Thank you, Ruby..." Alex smiled warmly. "That means a lot. Still, you all deserve to know what you'd be agreeing to." He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "We want you to help us keep an eye out for anything strange around Vale, including doing digging into any potential leads we find." To the soldier's surprise, only silence answered him at first. Yang blinked a few times, as if she was unsure that she had heard him correctly.

"That's it?" the blonde student asked. "All that buildup, and you just want us to do what we spent most of our first year at Beacon doing?"

"Er... Yes," Alex nodded.

"I'm up for that," Yang stated cheerily.

"I'm assuming that this isn't exactly something that Professor Ozpin sanctioned?" Blake inquired flatly.

"Well," Dimitri started by rubbing the back of his neck, "that's half-true. The Headmaster seems convinced that there's something big coming. He asked a bunch of us in this room to join him in some sort of... secret society... or something like that."

"Problem is," Ryland spoke up from his spot leaning against the wall of the room, "Ozpin wasn't too forthcoming with details beyond that it might kill some of us. So, Ol' Barnes started us off on this goose chase, with the added bonus of actually exchanging info."

"I see," Blake nodded. "If that's the case, then I will assist as well."

"It's so nice to have the three of you on board!" Luna smiled happily. "Thank you!" Firo made eye contact with Blake, silently thanking her for deciding to help.

"What about Weiss? Or Arthur and his team?" Ruby wondered aloud. "Will they be helping too?"

"We plan on asking them once they're back," Alex answered.

"I believe Weiss should be back in a week," Carbon noted. "I think Arthur'll be back a bit earlier than that. Actually, Boss, should we ask Nikos to join as well?"

"Pyrrha?" Alex asked. "What does she have to do with this?"

"You didn't know? She tagged along with Arthur."

"Really? I thought she was headed back to Mistral," Ruby supplied. "She seemed really excited about it too."

"Perhaps something happened in Mistral?" Blake guessed. "We should ask her when she returns."

"Well," Alex shrugged, "Pyrrha's a friend and she now has a potential lead. We might as well ask her to help us if she wants."

"That sounds fair," Luna nodded.

"Alright, enough serious talk," Ryland groaned as he pushed himself off the wall. "I smuggled desserts out of the break room. Who wants one?" From seemingly nowhere, the orange-haired soldier produced a box filled to the brim with various sweet pastries. With the solemn tone of the night officially destroyed, the group sat down to eat and enjoy each others company. They could worry about saving the world tomorrow.

* * *

 **A/N: Huh, a full chapter without any real jumping around. This was a kinda middling chapter, I think. Not too great, not too bad.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES**

 **Dghornick: Worry not, we're only a few chapters from that.**

 **Xenolis: Yeah, I'm not giving Melody and Chaos an easy time.**

 **Skaana: I'm glad you think so!**


	22. Chapter 21

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 21**_

"So what's the plan?" Eve asked urgently, attempting to jolt Peleus from the shocked stupor he had fallen into in the days following the destruction of his home. The smoke rising from the Kingdom of Mistral could still be seen high above the trees. Peleus had barely said a word, and not moved far from the hill where he had first seen his home reduced to ruins.

They were running low on time. Eve sighed and collected herself. She grabbed Peleus' arm and the Senator suddenly stood much straighter. Peleus stood in confusion as it felt like something was being sucked from his very soul. He whirled on Eve, finding the woman with her eyes closed, tears streaming from her eyes.

"What... did you just do?" Peleus spoke after a shocked pause.

"I've temporarily... drained you of your sorrow..." Eve breathed out her answer, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I need you... to be focused..."

"I- Thank you."

"Don't... mention it..." Eve shook her head, taking deep breaths to bring the various painful emotions she had absorbed under control. "We need... to keep moving... before the Order finds us..." She stood straight, waiting for Peleus to choose a direction. He simply stood there and stared at her. "Is... there a... problem?"

"I think I've dodged around this question long enough..." the Senator said. "But, if I am to keep traveling with you, I need to know... Who are you, Eve? Where are you from?"

"I don't believe I catch your meaning," she attempted to deflect.

"You clearly aren't from Remnant, otherwise you wouldn't need someone to serve as a guide. On top of that, you're wearing pieces of the same armor as those "Order" terrorists," Peleus pressed. Eve remained silent for several minutes, weighing her choices.

"You're right," she finally answered, "I am not from Remnant. My home is a world called 'Earth'. I am looking for... friends... of mine that were transported here. The Order crossed over with them." For the next few moments, the Senator eyed her incredulously as he processed what she had said. The longer he seemed to think about it, the less insane the reply appeared.

"It certainly sounds crazy, but given what I've seen... I'll choose to believe you," Peleus relented. "But that still leaves two things unanswered. Who are _you_ , and why do you wear Order armor?"

"I..." Eve trailed off. "I am nobody. I am someone who once thought they understood their place in the world, but found that it was all lies and illusions." Peleus quirked an eyebrow at her. She had essentially taken an extremely roundabout path to tell him, "it's none of your business."

"So, you used to be part of the Order?" Peleus guessed. Eve hesitated, but nodded slowly. "I see. I won't ask you to divulge your whole story to me, but you need to understand that I can not trust you completely. However, the fact that you seem to have been fairly honest with me lends you some credit. I'll continue to travel with you for now."

"So..." Eve began, "what's our plan?"

"First thing we need to do is get the word out about the Order to the other kingdoms. We're going to need to procure a flight-capable transport of some kind, then head for the Kingdom of Vale," Peleus outlined quickly, helped by the fact that his grief was under control for now. "Can you fly an airship?" Eve shook her head. "Good thing I can. In that case, I need you to concentrate on keeping the Order off our backs."

"That... I can do," the redheaded woman nodded. A thought seemed to occur to her. "Why is it that we have to deliver the news in person? Does the Kingdom not have a long-range communication system in place?"

"Normally, we would have been able to get news out via the Cross-Continental Communication Tower... but I'm betting that it was one of the first buildings the Order destroyed. No doubt they'd want to keep word of their presence from leaking out."

"Won't the sudden lack of communication with your Kingdom raise alarms?" Eve followed Peleus as the Senator began to walk towards the rising column of smoke in the distance.

"The tower was only built a few years ago. Chances are that most people will just assume it's the result of an installment issue that slipped through inspection."

"I see," Eve nodded. The pair walked silently beside each other for several more minutes, drawing ever closer to the outskirts of the wall surrounding Mistral. They came to a stop at the edge of the forest, hiding behind a couple of trees while they scanned the top of the wall for enemies. Peleus' ears picked up an interesting noise. In the distance, he could hear a steady stream of gunfire being exchanged, not the sounds of a firing squad, but a battle. A sense of pride welled up in the Senator's chest. It seemed that the people of Mistral weren't taking the order's occupation kindly.

* * *

Chaos awoke on the hard floor of the apartment building he had spent the night in. The first thing that he registered was how... cold... he felt. His eyes fell on Melody's bag, still laying abandoned in the corner. When his gaze drifted to the door, he half-expected the silver-haired girl to come bursting through with her usual energy... but no such thing occurred. On the plus side, it seemed that the voice had yet to make itself known for the day.

The sound of footsteps outside the door of the room caught the Bloodline's attention. Perhaps Melody had returned after all? Chaos felt an odd pang in his chest at the thought, but he paid it no mind. Someone knocked their knuckles on the outside of the door. Chaos stood from the ground, eying the entrance warily.

 _I sense a presence._ The voice in his head spoke up. _It is not that girl... This one is dangerous..._ Chaos wasn't sure what to make of that. The voice usually unleashed a seemingly endless torrent of murderous confidence. For it to advise caution was... worrying. The Bloodline tensed, swearing quietly when he attempted to flare his ability and failed. It seemed whatever Melody had done to him had still not disappeared.

Chaos quickly ducked behind a wall as the doorway blew open with immense force. Large splinters of treated wood flew by inches from his face, burying themselves deep in the cracked plaster of the wall. A woman stepped over the littered threshold and into the apartment. She was tall, slender, and would have been considered quite beautiful by many, but Chaos felt a malicious air around her. He suddenly understood the voice's warning. An emotion the Bloodline had long-since forgotten about sprung to life in his chest. Fear.

* * *

"Alright," Peleus breathed, "It looks like everything's clear. We should be able to get into the city through one of the old aqueducts that travels under the wall. There should be an opening not too far from here." Eve nodded her understanding, following the Senator to the edge of the towering wall around the city. The pair traveled along the perimeter until they came to an overgrown grate, cracked and covered in moss and vines. Peleus used his semblance to create a small dagger made of ice, and quickly cut away the thick vines coiled around the stone cover. Eve assisted him in lifting the grate and setting it slightly to the side.

"How did you know about this entrance?" Eve asked.

"When I was a boy," Peleus explained, "I used these old tunnels to sneak out on adventures." The Senator calmly dropped down into the aqueduct below. "Make sure to close the entrance behind us so no Grimm get in." Eve nodded and grabbed the side of the grate as she dropped down, pulling it back into its proper spot.

The pair began their trek down the low tunnel, both of them having to half-crouch to avoid hitting their heads against the ceiling. Peleus occasionally stopped to get his bearings, but he seemed to have a good idea of where they were heading. He came to a stop underneath a small beam of light, filtering in through a grate above him. They stood silently for a moment, listening for the sounds of anyone nearby.

"Where are we?" Eve inquired, readying her clawed gauntlets.

"We should be coming out in the oldest district in Mistral. It was the first section of the city ever built, and because of that, it serves more to preserve our history rather than act as housing or facilities. I'm hoping that the Order felt that old ruins weren't worth patrolling."

"To be safe, let me head up first."

"That sounds reasonable. I'll be right behind you." Peleus nodded, moving aside so Eve could open the grate above them. She quickly scanned the surface then pushed the manhole all the way off and climbed out of the hole. As promised, Peleus lifted himself out behind her. Eve took a look around at the ruins around her.

Mistral's Historical District was a testament to its founders. After over a millennium of wear and tear, the stone structures retained their strength. Even the Order's invasion had not shaken the buildings' foundations. Eve idly wondered if the people were the same. The Bloodline suddenly was shoved forward as Peleus tackled her from behind. A single bullet whizzed through the air where her head had been.

"Freeze where you are," a commanding voice called out from out of sight. The sounds of multiple weapons being primed could be heard. "You are under arrest by the- Senator Nikos?" Peleus rose to his feet, offering Eve a hand and an apologetic look. "Holy shit, it really is. Lower your weapons, men! He's one of us!" A man stepped out of cover, along with a few dozen other individuals. All of them were dressed in dark-brown and bronze armor. "Captain Aegeus, Mistral Guard Force, reporting for duty, Sir!"

* * *

Chaos maintained his hiding spot behind one of the apartment's walls as the ghostly-pale woman looked around. He could hear her walking softly across the moldy carpet.

"I know you're in here," the woman called sweetly. "Come on out, I won't bite." Chaos peered around the corner at the doorway. The woman was not standing there anymore. Perhaps he should take this opportunity to leave? In a flash, however, Chaos felt himself grabbed and pressed against the wall. He was turned around so that he was facing the woman. Her face was mere inches from him. She cocked her head at him with a smile, all the while holding the Bloodline in place with one hand. Her other hand grabbed his face.

"Huh... you aren't her..." the woman said. "But you're covered in her energy..."

"What in the world are you-" Chaos began, suddenly being cut off as the woman kissed him passionately. He struggled for several moments until she released him and licked her lips.

"So," she smiled, "You don't happen to know where a certain silver-haired girl went, do you?"

"No..." Chaos breathed and wiped his mouth with his arm. "And I don't especially care."

"Aw..." the woman pouted, "that means I made this detour for nothing... Well, anyway, my name is Shiro, who're you?" Chaos remained silent. "Don't be like that." The ghostly-pale woman suddenly kissed him again, causing the Bloodline to splutter. "Sorry, you had a little bit of her energy left on you. Also, it looks like your Semblance is... shadow control? Something like that?"

"What... the hell?"

"Tell you what," Shiro continued to dominate the conversation, almost like Chaos wasn't even there, "since you're kinda cute and you don't have a Semblance that interests me, I'll leave you be. Kay? Kay." She stepped back from the Bloodline with a wink, and as suddenly as she had appeared, Shiro turned and left the apartment with a slight skip to her step.

Chaos' first action was to drop weakly to the ground. What the hell had just happened? It had moved so fast, he hadn't even had time to process everything.

 _Aren't we lucky... It seems this newcomer will tie up our loose end. We will be free to engage Greene when we are ready._ the voice in his commented. _Still, that experience was tiring... I will leave you to your own devices for a while._ With that, Chaos was left with only the silence of his own thoughts to occupy him. He made an idle motion with his hand from his spot on the ground.

A shadowy blade sprung to life and sliced through the air, leaving a deep gash in the wall opposite him. The Bloodline stared at his hand in surprise. Whatever had just happened, it seemed as if that had also returned his powers. Good, that meant he could deal with Greene and his friends as soon as-

 _That lady is going to kill Melody..._

Chaos jumped at the sound of a new voice in his head. Unlike the normal screaming that he had been subjected to, this voice was soft-spoken and young. The ghostly-image of a child with white hair and red eyes had appeared in the corner of the room. The little boy was dressed in rags, deep cuts covered his body. He looked at Chaos with fearful eyes.

"Who... What are you?"

 _I think you know that already._ The boy's mouth moved to the words, but the sound echoed inside Chaos' head. The Bloodline stared at the child in confusion.

"What do you want?"

 _You know that already too... Whether or not you do it... well... that's your choice..._

* * *

 **A/N: Things are finally getting rolling in a big way. I'm mostly happy with this chapter, but something feels the slightest bit off to me, and I can't place it.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

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 **Xenolis: Thank you.**

 **Skaana: Thanks for the awesome praise. It's nice to see that you're enjoying what I'm putting out.**


	23. Chapter 22

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 22**_

"Please, Senator, take a seat." Captain Aegeus urged the tired-looking Peleus. "It's not much, but given the circumstances, it'll do."

"Thank you, Captain," Peleus nodded, taking the Mistral guardsman's offer of a folding steel chair. After determining that they were allies, the residents of the Kingdom had led the wayward Senator and Eve to their nearest base of operations, a hidden complex underneath the ruins of the Historical District. While Peleus had been greeted with cheers and handshakes, Eve felt the locals' eyes digging into her back. "What's the situation?"

"Here," Aegeus spread an old paper map across a nearby table, "the unidentified army has-"

"The Order," Eve interrupted. "They're called the Order."

"Alright, nice to finally have a name for them..." Aegeus nodded. "Anyway, 'the Order' has managed to secure the Government District and the surrounding residential areas. They caught us off-guard, but the Mistral Guard and Army have the areas around the Historical District under control now."

"How are you doing on weapons and supplies?" Peleus asked, moving his chair slightly to get a better view of the map. "And is there a way to procure a transport to alert the other Kingdoms?"

"Our forces are doing fine on food and weapons for the moment. The Order had the initial upper hand when they surprised us, but things ended up turning into a stalemate."

"That's likely because their troops are used to fighting people with no powers," Eve supplied. Peleus nodded thoughtfully. The red-haired woman had explained to him the basic outline of how Auras in her world worked when they had been working their way into the city. If Aegeus was confused, he wasn't showing it.

"As for vehicles, Senator... Well, we're more than a bit short on those. Those Order ships shot down most of our pilots during the initial attack. Any transport that's still intact is going to be in a hangar... and there aren't exactly any of those readily accessible at the moment," the Mistral Captain shook his head. Peleus eyed the map, looking for a possible solution.

"Wait, Captain, what about Outpost Hydra?" the Senator inquired, pointing to an area on the map.

"The old decommissioned military base, Sir? What about it?"

"It may not be in use for training or staging anymore, but I recall it was still being used for storage. We may find a transport there."

"The problem is, that base is a mile behind the enemy line..."

"It may not be impossible," Peleus explained. "All we would need is a proper opening-"

"And you have me at your disposal, which the Order will not expect," Eve added.

"What? Why would-"

"Captain, Sir! I'm sorry to interrupt!" a Mistral Guard burst into the room, cutting Aegeus' question short.

"Report."

"Sir, three enemy ships have departed the airspace above the city via some sort of... portal... technology. We do not know why, but this means that the enemy's strength has likely been more than halved," the Guard relayed sharply.

"Well, Captain," Peleus spoke up, "I believe that is our opening. We can only hope that it hasn't come too late."

* * *

"Feeling less grumpy today?" Cherri asked, finding Ryan staring out at the desert once again. It had been an awkward few days since their last major exchange. The had barely spoken beyond what was necessary, perhaps because they were both unsure of what to say.

"Yes," Ignis nodded, paused a moment, and cleared his throat. "I believe I may owe you... an apology... for my rather... abrasive tone before. I truly am grateful for your aid in my recovery and I did not mean to insinuate that-" He stopped when Cherri raised a hand.

"Just so you know... you weren't wrong. I _am_ lonely out here by myself. And I get tired of being treated like some sort of dangerous creature, 'for my own good' or not," the Maiden said kindly. "You're the first person I've talked with face-to-face in... _years_."

"Well, it would be hypocritical of me to hold something like that against you, considering you are not repulsed by my history with the Order," Ignis turned to her and bowed slightly. Silence hung between them for a few moments.

"So... is that it? Are we okay with each other again?" Cherri scratched the back of her head.

"I... suppose?" the Bloodline replied with confusion. "Gah... I've never been one for social skills, that's Sven's domain..."

"Sven?" Cherri perked up, sensing a way out of the current awkwardness. "Is he a friend of yours?"

"He's the Reaper, the one who offered me a second chance."

"Ah, I see-" Cherri began. A loud noise interrupted her, like nothing she had ever heard. She and the ex-Lord whirled towards the sound in time to see a circle of distortion tear open in the sky in the distance. A giant ship, dwarfing even the largest dustplanes, drifted out of the portal, casting a gargantuan shadow over the desert. Lances of energy suddenly fell from the flying construct, raining down upon a location out of sight. Cherri saw Ignis freeze. "O- oh, no... It- it's attacking Vacuo..."

"You said you had an emergency transport?" the Bloodline asked urgently.

"Y- yes!"

"Get it ready, we have to leave. The Order is here."

* * *

"So, Anika, you feel like sharing the names of whoever else is still kicking?" Marcia smirked. "You've been awfully tight-lipped about it."

"Nah, I think it should be a surprise," Anika winked.

"Need I remind you that I outrank you now?"

"What're you going to do, court-martial me?" The two women laughed amongst themselves, while Jerloh trailed a short way behind, shaking his head and grinning. Lex drifted between the various members of the group, always giving each person a smile as she did. Arthur and Emerald were keeping an eye out for Grimm together.

Pyrrha shifted her stance nervously. She felt like the odd one out in this situation, but she couldn't bring herself to bother anybody. The Mistral girl's attention was called to the sounds of a small pair of feet beside her. She looked down, greeted with the sight of Lex's curious stormy-gray eyes.

"You look lonely," the little girl stated. "How come you aren't talking with anyone else?"

"Well, I..." Pyrrha trailed off hesitantly. "The others are all so... busy, so... I didn't think it was right to disturb them..."

"Then I'll talk to you!" Lex grinned happily, and Pyrrha couldn't help but join in on the girl's infectious enthusiasm.

"Alright then, Lex, what would you like to talk about?" the crimson-haired student asked with a gentle smile.

"How 'bout... where we are?"

"Well... this place is called Forever Fall. It got that name because of how the trees here stay red all year-round, as if it were Autumn," Pyrrha explained.

"It smells sweet," Lex observed as she sniffed the air.

"That's from the trees' sap, and it is very sweet."

"Huh," Lex nodded appreciatively. "What about-"

The girl's words were drowned out as a loud noise ripped through the air above them. The sun was suddenly blocked by a massive metal shape, casting a large patch of Forever Fall into darkness.

"We need to get back to Vale _now,_ " Pyrrha heard Arthur call over the ship's roar. Lex gripped the Mistral girl's hand anxiously, and Pyrrha gave her a reassuring squeeze, despite her own mounting fear.

* * *

Alyia wasn't quite sure what to make of Atlas. A grand majority of the people she had met were kind and compassionate, and the city was a sight to behold. However, now that she had agreed to accompany Winter, Weiss, Charles, and Anise on a meeting with the Kingdom's council, she had found a blemish of underhanded politics on an otherwise spotless city.

Winter and a man Alyia had met just today, James Ironwood, seemed to be true stalwart protectors of the people, but the seven individuals seated on the Atlas Council seemed only to care for either results, or whether or not something benefited them.

"You have my _sincerest_ apologies, Director Schnee," one of the Councilors said sneeringly, "but until you can provide us with the Dust needed for our military efforts, we cannot agree to allocate any of the crystals towards the medical sector."

"That's absolutely absurd!" Winter shouted angrily. Next to Alyia in the stands, Anise and Weiss were glaring daggers at the Council, both looking like they'd enjoy throwing something sharp at the rude politicians. Charles patted them both on their heads gently, seeming to calm them a bit. Alyia had to admit her father was uniquely apt at keeping the girls' tempers under control.

"The army is bloated enough as it is!" Winter continued. "You don't need a tenth of the Dust that my family's company is supplying you, let alone twice the current amount!"

"I believe Director Schnee has a point," Ironwood spoke from his spot beside the furious Winter. "There has been recent unrest with the Kingdom's military spending. The civilian populace is fearful of how our forces have continued growing. I would recommend-"

"What you recommend, General, is irrelevant, as is whatever Director Schnee has to say on the matter," another Councilor cut Ironwood off. "Neither of you holds a seat on this council, and neither of you has the slightest understanding of the inner workings of this Kingdom. The Council's decision stands. The Atlas military forces will requisition double the normal supply of Dust, and their funding will be increased by twenty-five percent."

"Why?!" Winter yelled helplessly. "What on Remnant could possibly warrant spending that many resources on-"

"You, of all people, should know, Director. After your experiences two years ago, I would have thought you would understand our position. That is all. This meeting is adjourned."

"Those irrational, greedy, blind imbeciles! I swear if I get the chance I'll shove my boot so far up their-"

"Winter," Charles placed a hand on the Schnee's shoulder to get her to stop her rant, "as much as I feel your anger with the Council is justified, I will remind you that Anise is standing right here."

"I-" Winter looked down at the small dark-haired girl, who was clearly wondering the precise destination of the older Schnne sibling's shoe. "Ahem, right. Sorry, Anise, I didn't intend to subject you to that."

"For what it's worth, I'd be happy to join you if you ever got around to teaching the Council a lesson," Alyia added in.

"As much as I'd like to take you up on that offer," Ironwood spoke up, "I fear that it would only wind up fortifying their position. They managed to push these spending plans through by playing on the peoples' fear of groups like the White Fang."

"And the Order?" Alyia inquired, having heard about Ironwood's involvement with the events following Charles' arrival.

"The Order isn't public knowledge. The Council managed to paint the events in Vale as a well-organized terrorist cell, an off-shoot of the White Fang. It's why there are no Faunus holding any Council seats now."

"That's terrible," Weiss shook her head, "the Council should be disgusted with themselves."

"I agree. Civil unrest amongst the Faunus population has only worsened in Atlas lately. From what I hear, it's becoming more difficult for Mr. Taurus' group to talk down White Fang groups because the Faunus are afraid that Humans will turn on them in an instant."

"Can you really blame them? Especially when the Council in Atlas is acting like they are?" Winter stated.

"Not at all," Ironwood nodded, "I've been speaking to some of my fellow commanding officers about banding together to push a petition to the Council floor. With any luck, we-" The General stopped as the entire building shook. A shockwave blew the glass from the windows. Charles and Winter both reflexively shielded Anise with their bodies. Weiss managed to protect herself, Ironwood, and Alyia with a floating glyph.

The group quickly rushed to the damaged windows as soon as the dust had settled, searching for the source of the blast. An Order ship hovered menacingly over the city, flames quickly spreading across the buildings. They watched as the communications tower crumpled and fell.

* * *

"What do you think, Senator? Will this do?" Captain Aegeus asked, gesturing to a beaten, but functional, Bullhead dropship. Their hunch had been right. With the absence of more than half of their forces, the Mistral Guard and Army had made multiple pushes into the districts the Order had taken. Peleus, Eve, and the handful of Mistral soldiers they had run into had proceeded to Outpost Hydra, where they had gained access to an old bunker filled with supplies, weapons, and vehicles.

"Yes," Peleus nodded, "I believe this will accomplish what we need."

"Alright, we'll get set on fueling and loading this bird," the Captain promised. "Leo, we're going to set up a dropship for Senator Nikos. What's the word out there?"

"Uh, Sir, you might want to hold off on that... Scouts just spotted a single contact. Female- Dressed like a _what_?- Looks like a mental patient," the Mistral Guardsman responded. "Let us take care of her, then you can bring up the transport." Peleus' eyes widened as he overheard the transmission.

"Captain, you must tell them not to engage! If that woman is who I think it is, they will die!"

"Leo, this is Aegeus, do not engage. Repeat, do not engage contact," Only silence answered the Captain's call. "Leo, respond. Leo? Leo! Dammit," Aegeus swore.

"You two work on getting that dropship ready," Eve cut in. "I will try to keep the enemy away from you both."

"What are you going to be able to do that my men couldn't?" Aegeus asked incredulously.

"Trust me, Captain. I will handle it."

* * *

Enigma looked at the two pairs bladed claws protruding from her gauntlets. They were covered in the blood of the soldiers she had just killed. For a moment, she wondered _why_ she had killed them, but that just led her into asking why the men had attacked in the first place. It was all so confusing for her. Lord Agony tended to explain things in ways that made sense, maybe she'd ask him later, but only if he wasn't too busy.

Enigma's head shot up as she detected a powerful energy signature. She very quickly found its source, a freckled woman with blood-red hair and emerald-colored eyes. How odd, she looked quite a lot like Lord Agony. She also wore Order armor, but Enigma did not recognize her. She must be an enemy.

"So," the redheaded woman looked at Enigma with an unreadable expression, "I don't recognize you, which one of Agony's new cronies are you?"

"I am... Enigma... the... Faceless... Bloodline..."

"Do you even care who I am? Or are you one of those honor-bound types that wants to know who they're fighting?"

Enigma cocked her masked head at the woman. "I... am... curious..."

"Fine, then. My name is Eve. I am Despair, Bloodline of Sorrow." The woman flared her ability, two transparent blood-red owl's wings materializing at her back.

"Pretty..." Enigma said. "Does this... mean... I... have to... kill you?"

"That's all up to you," Eve narrowed her eyes. "You can walk away right now, if you want."

"That... would make... Lord Agony... unhappy..." In a flash, Enigma was in Eve's face, swinging her bladed gauntlets wildly, with no semblance of control or technique. However, this was more than made up for by the girl's immense speed and strength. For a few moments, Eve managed to lock her own gauntlets with her opponent's. Enigma tilted her masked head at the other Bloodline questioningly. "You have... another... name... Why?"

"What?" Eve took the Lord's momentary lapse to kick her in the gut, sending the smaller form flying a few feet. Enigma rose without any apparent pain and closed on Eve again in an instant.

"You... are called... 'Eve'... Why... do you... have a... second... name?"

"That's none of your business. Maybe ask Agony next time you see him!" Eve grunted and slashed one of her gauntlets across the girl's chestplate. Deep gashes appeared in the black metal, and Eve felt her claws tear into the flesh and bone underneath. Enigma staggered back a few steps and looked down at her own blood seeping from the wound. She didn't seem at all fazed.

Eve's eyes widened as the injury began to close. What the hell was going on? Enigma had so far displayed increased strength and speed, and now regeneration. How could she have multiple secondary abilities? Unless-

"Your Bloodline," Eve questioned, "it allows you to use more powers than your normal ones, doesn't it?"

"Lord Agony... told me... that... the Faceless... embodies... the Neutral Aura... I can... use... many different... powers... at will..." Enigma nodded. Suddenly, the Lord was thrown as high-caliber rounds impacted her body. Eve turned to find the Bullhead dropship hovering behind her, Aegeus manning a side-mounted minigun.

"Take that!" the Captain cheered. "That was for Leo!" His joy was brought to a halt as Enigma rose from the attack, her wounds healing rapidly. "Oh, come _on_!"

The Bullhead swept low, clearly moving to pick up Eve. She jumped and glided with her wings, grabbing the side of the craft and pulling herself in. Aegeus moved to close the transport's doors. Eve turned to make sure Enigma couldn't bring the dropship down. For a moment, Eve felt her heart freeze in her chest. Enigma was staring up at them from the ground, a large section of her helmet blown away. A single emerald-colored eye locked with Eve's, right before the Bullhead's door closed between them.

* * *

 **A/N: The war begins.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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	24. Chapter 23

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 23**_

Melody stared up at the ship above Vale in a mix of terror and confusion, unable to fully process what was happening as the first volley of fire rained down on the city. The silver-haired girl ducked for cover as chinks of rubble were blown in all directions. The residents of Vale screamed in horror.

After she had left Chaos, Melody had entered into Vale through one of the main gates. The Guards seemed to think she was only a vagrant, so they hadn't paid her any mind. She'd finally collapsed in a patch of trees near the academy for the night, with only her grumbling stomach and thoughts to keep her company.

Melody noticed a swarm of aircraft and dark flying creatures descend from the ship, spreading out across the city like locusts. Vale's sparse forces vainly fired into the growing ocean of enemies, only to be overwhelmed. Well, this is what she had wished for, wasn't it? All she would have to do is not move... and... Melody couldn't bring herself to finish the thought as more fearful shouts intermingled with the sounds of multiple distant battles. If she was going to die... she might as well do as much good as she could beforehand.

* * *

"Well, Bossman, I'd say we found Ol' Ozzy's impending calamity!" Ryland yelled, grabbing a charging Fenrir by the neck with his prosthetic arm and shooting it three times with his handgun.

"I'd say that's a safe bet," Alex replied, rolling out of the way of a Wyvern's clawed swing. "D, need an assist!"

"Got it," Dimitri affirmed, mowing the draconic Shade down with his machine gun. "Where did all of these come from?" He gave Firo a nod of gratitude as she killed a Shade that had tried to sneak up on him.

"I'll be sure to ask em later," Carbon cut in. "Just keep shootin' the bastards for now." A Fenrir vanished in a smoldering mist as the Atlesian introduced it to his plasma rifle. "Not seeing many Order troops mixed in, only the fodder."

"That's how they always played it back home," Alex noted. "They're-" He was suddenly knocked off his feet by a crimson handled weapon, just before a bladed tail sliced through the air the soldier's torso had been occupying moments before. Ruby flipped Crescent Rose around and leveled it on the Behemoth that had attempted to kill her friend, blowing a large hole through its body. "Thanks, Ruby."

"No problem- Luna, on your right!" Ruby called out. The azure-haired soldier turned to fire a burst into a Banshee, which let out a shrill cry as it died. Blake noticeably flinched as the noise assailed her sensitive hearing.

"Good eye, Ruby! Thanks!" Luna shouted over the clamor of the fighting. Alex had to admit he was impressed with how the students had handled the situation so far. They'd worked cohesively with the EDC as a unit, and their small group had managed to hold the main access onto Beacon's campus on their own. However, it didn't change the fact that other groups of Order forces had slipped into the academy and were engaging Beacons staff and students at will. The sounds of combat continued to echo across the entire campus.

Alex's thoughts were interrupted as a collective flinch seemed to travel across the horde of Shades before them, causing the creatures to freeze in place. It took the soldier a moment to realize that the creatures really _were_ frozen solid. To his surprise, he caught sight of a civilian. An extremely confused-looking silver-haired girl. He became acutely aware of the cold air as the girl nervously picked her way around the Shades, accidentally shattering a Fenrir as her hand came in contact with it.

"Did we win?" Yang called out, finding she had no further enemies to pummel.

"I- I think so?" Ryland said, catching sight of the silver haired girl. "Wait, who's that? Is she the one who-"

"God, this is bothersome," Alex felt the air drop another several degrees, as a new voice approached. The silver-haired girl scampered over to the EDC forces' side while a woman with dark-blue hair strolled towards them, a black helmet tucked under her arm. Her hair was tied in a ponytail over her shoulder, and her expression was a mix of disgust and boredom. "I was wondering why this area wasn't under control yet. Looks like all of the competent fighters were up here... and as usual, I have to do everything myself. _Wonderful_." She turned to address Alex and his friends. "I'm Lord Europa. I'm here to defeat all of you in the name the Order. Blah, blah, blah, you get the picture."

"What can we expect from this one, Boss?" Carbon asked, he and the others tightening their formation and leveling their weapons at the Lord. Alex tried to recall anything on a "Europa", but found himself coming up blank. They'd never faced a Lord with that name.

"I don't know... She's not a Lord I think we ever fought... though I'm not sure how that's possible..." Alex admitted. "Be ready for anythi-" He stopped as the frozen Shades around them smashed into sharp fragments with loud crashes. The shards of ice hovered in the air around Europa, who looked decidedly uninterested.

"Look, can you hurry up and die? I've got places I'd rather be."

* * *

"Come this way!" Ironwood ordered, leading Charles, Alyia, Anise, and the Schnee sisters towards a military hangar. "We only have a small window to leave the Kingdom!" In the aftermath of the initial attack, Ironwood had been contacted by the Council. The same people who had spent the hours just prior insulting the General and Winter, had now begged them to rush to Vale for assistance.

"Do you need time to get ready?" Alyia yelled over the ceaseless noise.

"Only a short while," Ironwood affirmed. "The dustplane is still in the process of refueling."

"Got it," the Guardian nodded. "Dad, think you can lend me hand with holding off the Order?"

"Not a problem," Charles answered quickly.

"I'll help as well," Weiss stated. Charles placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No, Weiss. I need you and Winter to watch after Anise. Don't worry about me and Aly, we can handle this."

"But, I-"

"No 'buts', young lady," Charles said commandingly. "Please, just do it." Weiss and Winter both looked as if they wanted to argue for a moment, but they both seemed to relent, chasing after Ironwood.

"Looks like we've got company," Alyia drew her father's attention to a group of five Order soldiers headed towards them across the tarmac.

"I'll back you up from here," Charles stated. "I left my weapons back at the manor, but I can still fight." He flared his ability, sprouting a pair of purple flaming crow wings. Charles idly tossed a fireball in between his hands. "I'll wait for your 'go'."

"I sure hope you haven't lost your touch," Alyia smiled, quickly checking her plasma pistol. Her gaze drifted back to the approaching enemies, her eyes falling on the leader. "Crap. It's Golem."

"Who?" Charles asked.

"Lord. Bloodline of Earth. Expert in melee combat." Alyia rapidly listed off.

"So we're at a disadvantage up close," the old Terror Inheritor analyzed, rubbing his chin. "Let's just hit him from a distance, then... and if we clean up his four lackeys first, that should make it easier."

"Sounds good," the Guardian nodded, dropping into a half-crouched stance. "Ready when you are."

"Then let's introduce ourselves," Charles pulled his arm back and threw the fireball as hard as he could.

Golem and his four troops, all of whom seemed to be Knights, noticed the incoming projectile. The Lord shielded himself and his troops by raising a solid wall of gray stone, blocking the worst of the attack as the fireball erupted across the surface. The Knights rushed forward as Charles readied another projectile, only for one of them to catch a blast from Alyia's pistol in the chest.

Charles realized that he hadn't seen his daughter's power in action yet. Alyia charged forward with her handgun, downing another Knight with a shot straight into the visor on his helmet. In a flash, she relieved the now-deceased Knight of his weapon, a simple straight-sword of some unknown make, and sheathed her firearm. To Charles' surprise, Alyia began using the weapon to fight the pair of remaining Order soldiers as if it the blade had been made for her.

Before he could spend any more time thinking about Alyia, Charles jumped into the air to avoid a stabbing attack from Golem. The Lord had closed on him in a fraction of a second. Golem summoned several stone javelins from the ground, chucking each one at Charles from the ground. The Terror Inheritor increased his altitude so that he was effectively out of reach.

"So, a Speed Secondary?" Charles asked as he hovered above the Lord. "Unfortunately for you, I spent a good portion of my childhood sparring with someone like that."

"Good, then perhaps you can offer me a sufficient challenge," Golem replied, "But, that overconfidence may be your downfall..."

* * *

Pyrrha panted heavily as she sprinted alongside the others towards Vale. Smoke rose ominously into the air from the uncountable number of fires spreading across the buildings. The Mistral girl ground to a sudden stop as Jerloh held up a hand and skidded to a halt. The rest of the group quickly followed suit.

"What's wrong? Why are we stopping?" Emerald breathed heavily and wiped sweat from her forehead.

"I assume because Jerloh can feel _that_ ," Arthur shivered.

"Feel _what_?" Pyrrha coughed. "I don't feel anything."

"The air feels bad," Lex attempted to explain from her perch on her father's back.

"There are a whole lot of different powerful energies running around nearby," Jerloh clarified. "It's probably safe to assume that the Order's dropped off at least two or three Lords." Pyrrha blanched, recalling a fight from two years prior that had leveled a section of Vale.

"Jerloh, think you can take a look ahead? Make sure that we don't run into too many enemies?" Marcia inquired urgently, scanning the trees for any hostiles.

"Sure, just hold on to Lex," the Bloodline deposited the six-year-old into Pyrrha's arms.

"I do mean 'take a look'," Marcia reiterated. "Do not-" The rest of her statement was missed as the Guardian flew off into the air with flaming wings on his back. He was already a speck in the distance. "I really hope he doesn't do anything too stupid."

"It's Jerloh," Arthur deadpanned.

"Right..." the EDC General sighed to herself.

"Be safe, Daddy!" Lex called after her father.

* * *

Ignis grasped the side of the old transport as Cherri attempted to start the aircraft. Thanks to the Bloodline's increased strength, the pair had managed to drag the ancient Bullhead out into the open. The pillar of smoke and dust above Vacuo had only grown more and more. To say the least, both the Maiden and ex-Lord were quite anxious to escape the nearby battle before somebody noticed Cherri's expansive garden in the middle of the desert.

"Any luck?" Ryan asked.

"This thing's been sitting around so long, the Dust used to power it is... 'stale'... for lack of a better word. I'll have to switch it out for a new one," the Maiden of Spring explained. "Keep an eye out for me, would you?"

"Right," the Bloodline nodded, keeping careful watch over the Order ship in the distance.

"I'm surprised you didn't ask," Cherri quipped as she began unscrewing an access panel on the side of the old Bullhead.

"Ask what?" Ignis inquired, helping the Maiden remove the rusted-on panel before returning to scanning the skies.

"About how the Maiden of Spring got to be such a tech geek?"

"I assumed it was something you picked up while out here on your own."

"Not really. Before I got the powers, I used to help out in my Dad's machine shop. The Gardening thing was more Mum's thing, so-"

"Cherri," Ignis cut her off, "I promise that I'll listen to the whole story once we're out of here. But for now, you need to get that transport running as soon as possible."

"What's wrong?" the Maiden asked worriedly, though she was fairly certain she already knew the answer.

"We've got incoming," the Bloodline confirmed. The dark shape of an Order dropship streaked towards the Maiden's home, stopping to drop off a hulking form. The black metallic figure shattered the cement foundations of Cherri's house. Its skull-like visage fixed on Ignis, and it stormed towards him, crushing flower pots underneath its massive weight. "Carnage," Ryan spat distastefully.

"I believed I sensed a familiar presence," the Lord laughed menacingly. "I have always looked forward to crushing you, Ignis."

Ryan drew his sword from his back and ignited the blade, separating the weapon into its whip-like form. "You can try."

* * *

 **A/N: Untold property damage awaits. Pacing feels a bit off to me for this chapter. My apologies for it taking longer than usual.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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	25. Chapter 24

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

 _ **CHAPTER 24**_

* * *

"Cover! Now!" Alex yelled as Europa sent large shards of ice flying in all directions. He quickly grabbed Luna and Ruby and dragged them behind a cement wall. He didn't see where any of the others had gone. Crashing and shattering followed a moment later, and one particularly large fragment of ice impaled itself in the ground behind where Alex's trio was hiding.

Alex popped up over his small section of cover, where he was greeted with the sight of only towering mirror-smooth fragments of ice. Europa was nowhere in sight. "I've lost sight of her! Is everyone alright?" Alex keyed his radio, unable to see anyone besides Ruby and Luna.

"We're good over here, Bossman!" Ryland's voice called out from somewhere in the field of ice. "I've got Yang, Carbon, and the new girl with me!"

"Blake and Firo are both fine," Dimitri reported.

"Keep an eye out," Alex replied. "She could be anywhere."

"Gotcha, Bossman," Ryland switched over to the radio. "We'll- Oh, shit!" The transmission cut out, but was followed by an echo of gunfire.

"Everybody, see if you can find Ryland's group and give him some help!" Alex commanded. He was met with quick acknowledgments. He, Ruby, and Luna raced towards the source of the gunfire, made difficult by the maze-like arrangement of the ice.

* * *

Ryland jumped back from a vicious stab from Europa, then returned fire with a burst from his rifle. Unfortunately, the shots did not find their mark, as the Lord darted out of sight once again.

"Damn it," Ryland swore.

"I thought this was going to be more interesting," Europa's bored voice echoed around them, bouncing off the icy enclosure.

"How about you stop fighting like a coward, and we'll test that thought?" Yang called out.

"Yang, what are you doing?" Carbon asked, scanning with his rifle.

"Trust me on this," the blonde student replied calmly. "I've got a plan, just roll with it."

"Whatever you sa- Whoa!" Ryland blocked an icicle that came sailing through the air with his rifle. He tossed the weapon aside upon finding that it was impaled by the frozen water. "Alright, railgun it is..." He quickly slotted a conical iron projectile into his prosthetic arm.

"I feel like she's toying with us," Carbon noted.

"Or, maybe she's just a big chicken!" Yang yelled. Ryland suddenly had an inkling as to what his girlfriend's plan was. Sure enough, it seemed to work as Europa came dashing out of the maze of ice, aiming for Yang with an icy longsword.

In the instant before Europa's swing connected, Yang activated her semblance and grabbed the offending blade with her bare hand. To the Lord's dismay, the weapon only dug slightly into the blonde's skin before melting into a useless state.

"Well, you said you wanted it to be interesting," Yang smiled and blasted Europa in the face with a pair of shots from Ember Celica. The Lord shattered into fragments as the projectiles connected. "Oh, crap."

"Did you really think I would fall for such a juvenile trick?" Europa's voice echoed. Clones of the Lord, a mixture of Shade and ice, stepped out from all directions, surrounding Ryland and the others. "Though, perhaps you all aren't quite as boring as I thought."

"Well, that's a new one... Anyone else got a plan?" Ryland asked, leveling his arm at the nearest clone. 'How 'bout you, new girl?"

"H-huh? Me?" the silver-haired girl asked. "I- I'm not sure."

"What can you do?" Carbon asked urgently. "What is your semblance?"

"It's useless... I used to be able to calm people down... but now... I'm not even sure what I can do," she replied. "I can't exactly control it..."

"That's unfortunate," Ryland said flatly, eyes darting between the clones.

"Well, then I guess we're going the 'smash everything' route," Yang punched her fists together. She turned and winked at the silver-haired girl. "Thanks for getting us out of that jam earlier. Just hang back and let us handle it if you can't help, 'kay?"

"I- Okay..." the girl sighed defeatedly.

"Enough talkin', then," Carbon leveled his plasma rifle at the closest clone and fired, melting the figure above the waist. "Let's get to breaking these things." The trio fell into the standard formation they had used when fighting together two years prior. Yang acted as their front-line fighter, since she was both limited to close-range combat and her semblance made her far more durable than either Ryland or Carbon. Ryland and Carbon both worked on keeping enemies from overwhelming her, thinning the clones with precise shots.

"Watch out!" the silver-haired girl yelled, pushing Ryland, who hadn't noticed one of Europa's copies sneaking up behind him. The girl slipped on the icy ground onto her back, where she had to quickly roll out of the way from the clone's downward slash. The figure's icy blade clipped the girl's silver hair, leaving a few strands laying on the pavement. The girl reached out and grabbed the clone's arm in an attempt to stop it from making another attack. To her surprise, the Lord' copy simply shattered the moment she touched it.

"What was _that_?" Ryland gaped as the silver-haired girl looked at her hands. "Thanks, by the way. Please do more of whatever you just did."

"Miss," Carbon addressed her, "Think you can help us watch Yang's back?"

"Y-yes! I think I can help!" she replied. She rose to her feet and ran up to where Yang was holding her ground against the swarm of clones. The four of them stood together, mowing down any icy copy that stepped within range.

"Hey, Bossman, you here yet!?" Ryland shouted into the radio, punching a clone in the face instead of wasting his single shot in the railgun.

"Still trying to get to you, just hold on," Alex's voice replied. "We ran into Dimitri, Firo, and Blake. We'll all be there as soon as we can."

"Wait," Ryland suddenly had an idea, "You got a flare?"

"Yes, why? What are you thinking?"

"Fire it into the air, then get down," the orange-haired soldier ducked underneath a clone's swing. Yang kicked it into the wall, where it shattered loudly. A bright red light shot into the sky from the group's left. Ryland leveled his arm at ground-level below the flare. "Fire in the hole." The railgun on his arm fired, kicking the prosthetic arm back hard enough to cause Ryland to stumble. In a fraction of a second, a series of gaping holes opened in the icy maze's walls, followed by a loud boom. A newly-created tunnel had been opened in the maze, which would allow Alex and the others to reach them.

"Well, that's troublesome," Europa's voice said from nearby. Ryland whirled around to find the Lord right in his face. She slashed upwards with her blade, severing the soldier's prosthetic arm between the elbow and shoulder. Europa stabbed forward with an icicle in her off-hand stabbing Ryland in the gut. He let out a splutter and coughed blood.

"Ry!"

"Kid!" Carbon, Yang, and the silver-haired girl whirled around as they finished off the last of the clones. They were greeted with the terrible sight of Ryland falling onto the ground and laying still in a rapidly expanding pool of his own blood. "Damn it!" Carbon yelled, aiming at the Lord with his rifle. She ran forward with her hand out, throwing an icy projectile. The small orb impacted Carbon's hands, freezing them so he could not pull his weapon's trigger.

Yang attempted to close the distance on Europa, but her worry for Ryland had delayed her just a few seconds too long. She watched in horror as the Lord ducked underneath a desperate swing from Carbon and sliced her blade across the Atlesian's throat. Carbon's eyes widened as he registered the pain and begin to fall. Europa turned to face Yang, the Lord's emotionless helmet showing no remorse.

"Please... make sure they're okay..." Yang shivered as she spoke to the silver haired girl. "Do your best to make sure Ry and Carbon are okay..."

"O-okay," the girl replied quickly, darting over to the two collapsed forms. Europa walked towards Yang calmly as the blonde continued to shiver.

"That's two of your friends down," the Lord kept her ears open for Alex's group, who grew closer with every passing moment. "Let's make this qui-" Europa was sent flying as Yang closed the distance between them and punched the Lord's visor. Glass shattered under the student's fist. Europa stood from the ground and tossed her broken helmet away, before removing a long shard of glass from her cheek. She realized the student hadn't been shivering from the temperature, but from utter rage. Flames licked around Yang's body as she snarled and stared the Lord down.

"You won't get away with hurting them, _Bitch_."

* * *

Alex jumped through another one of the holes in the maze Ryland had made, attempting to maintain his speed. He tried to raise Ryland or Carbon on the radio again, to no avail. Ryland's idea had been good in theory, but the maze's oddly shaped walls had sent the railgun's projectile flying in odd directions, creating a path that curved and zig-zagged frequently.

"Something's wrong," he grit his teeth. He hoped they weren't too late.

"We'll make it, Alex," Ruby said firmly, several paces ahead of the blond soldier. The EDC armor over her combat clothing bounced slightly. The girls had all kept the plating as parts of their standard gear, since it offered increased protection for very little weight. Still, it wasn't invincible, and wouldn't last long against a Lord. "I can run ahead if you want."

"No," Alex shook his head and panted. "The last thing I want to do is throw you into an unknown situation." Their entire group came to a sudden halt as a scream of rage drifted through the maze.

"That was Yang..." Blake spoke up worriedly. A nervous look appeared on Ruby's face as well.

"Screw it," Alex said through grit teeth, "Ruby, go. Take Blake with you and help Yang. We'll be right behind you."

"Alright," Ruby nodded quickly. "Thanks, Alex." She grabbed Blake's arm, and in an instant, the two girls were gone in a burst of rose petals. The remaining soldiers hefted their gear and gave chase, following the trail of petals through the maze.

* * *

Ruby ran as fast as she could, more or less dragging Blake along with her. The two students ground to a halt, shocked by the sight that lay before them. The silver-haired girl was knelt by Ryland and Carbon, trying to staunch bleeding wounds on both of them. Yang was currently engaged with the Lord, her semblance throwing off intense heat and causing the nearby walls of the maze to melt.

Both Yang and Europa were covered in injuries, from small scratches to deep gashes. Yang's EDC armor lay in shambles, the chest plating tossed completely aside in pieces. However, the student still had the boots, one of which she furiously planted in the middle of Europa's chest. The Lord responded with a swipe from her blade, tracing a bloody line across Yang's left cheek.

"Yang!" Ruby yelled to get her sister's attention while loading a Dust round into Crescent Rose. Blake moved to help her partner. They both suddenly regretted announcing themselves, as Europa took advantage of Yang's temporary distraction to stab her in the thigh with an icicle. The blond student stumbled back, and the Lord readied another strike.

Europa's attempt on Yang's neck was foiled by a quick shot from Blake's Gambol Shroud. Ruby sped forward with Crescent Rose in hand. She ran up the side of the maze's wall, jumping into the air to line up her shot on the Lord, who was preoccupied blocking Blake and Yang on the ground. Ruby shot off the Dust round loaded into her weapon, a bullet tipped with a highly volatile Burn Crystal. The round exploded on Europa's armor, sending the Lord smashing into the wall behind her. The Lord's eyes flashed angrily, and Ruby suddenly realized she wasn't falling.

"That's enough of that," Europa coughed and spat out a bloody tooth. Her dark-blue hair was singed to a dusty coal-black. "And your friends are just in time." Alex and the others came barreling through the hole Ruby and Blake had come through, quickly leveling their weapons at the Lord. "Yeah, none of that." Ruby noticed she wasn't the only one floating the air. Blake, the silver-haired girl, and Ryland's unconscious bleeding form all hung awkwardly above the ground.

"She's got a Kinetic Secondary," Dimitri noted through grit teeth.

"Here's what's going to happen," Europa ignored the Russian. "I've triggered my distress armor's beacon so that my soldiers will come pick me up. If you try anything before I leave..." Ruby suddenly noticed single sharp pillars of ice beneath herself and the others floating. "Well, let's just say it could get messy."

"As interesting as that would be to see," a woman's voice said from behind the wall at Europa's back, "I can't really let you kill the person I came all this way to find." A pale hand burst through the ice wall, grabbing Europa's forearm. The maze's ice began to melt and shatter, and Ruby and the others were roughly dropped to the ground, thankfully escaping impalement. Europa quickly stabbed the arm that had grabbed her with her blade, causing it to let go. The wall fell apart into fragments, revealing a beautiful young woman with eerily pale hair and skin. The wound on her arm closed in the blink of an eye. "Now that wasn't nice... If you would-"

Europa stabbed forward with her blade, letting out a small cry of shock as the weapon simply deflected off the newcomer's skin as if it were metal. The pale woman calmly grabbed the Lord's right arm. A flash of heat and sound erupted from the point of contact, sending the Lord screaming to the ground as she gripped the burning stump of her arm.

"Now then," the pale woman smiled sweetly. Alex and the others leveled their weapons at her. "Would anyone else like to interrupt me?"

* * *

 **A/N: The action begins. There's going to be a pretty solid wall of these as we cover the fighting going on all over the place. Stay tuned, I will put these out as quickly as I can.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **REVIEW REPLIES**

 **Skaana: Yes, Atlas would do considerably better against the Order than any of the other Kingdoms, since they have a larger, more advanced military. Still, they remember what happened last time a small group of Order troops showed up, so they're asking Vale to lend assistance, unaware that a similar attack is occurring there as well.**


	26. Chapter 25

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

 _ **CHAPTER 25**_

* * *

Cherri frantically worked on swapping out the Dust in the Bullhead's engine, flinching at the steady screech of metal against metal. Ryan was outside, fighting... whatever that _thing_ was... The Maiden poked her head around the side of the Bullhead, throwing a worried gaze towards the Bloodline. She felt so helpless. Part of the reason Ozpin had hidden her away was because her powers weren't too capable in a combat situation. She didn't want to think of what might have happened if Ryan hadn't been here or if that hulking monstrosity hadn't come alone.

Ignis ducked under a wide swing from Carnage and flicked his wrist towards his opponent. His blade struck forth like a snake, coiling around the Lord's arm. Ignis then pulled his arm back with as much force as he could muster, digging the sharpened burning segments into Carnage's armor. The whip-like blade left jagged lacerations in the Lord's blackened plating, accompanied by a shrill shriek of tearing metal.

"This is a bit more like it," Carnage's skeletal visage smiled. "A real challenge worth my time, instead of dealing with weaklings." The Lord grabbed Ignis' blade as it flew forward to wrap around his arm again. With a smirk, Carnage pulled his opponent forward with one hand and raised his other fist. The massive gauntlet smashed into the stumbling Ignis' chest, knocking him to the ground with a sickening crack.

"When are you going to use your Bloodline?" Carnage asked, placing his foot in the center of Ignis' chest. Several of the ex-Lord's ribs let out loud snaps as his enemy's weight rested on him. Despite the excruciating pain, Ignis simply let out a growl and glared at Carnage. The giant's eyes drifted to where Cherri was still working on the Bullhead. "Ah, I see... Are you afraid of frightening your new friend? Scared of letting her see what you really are? That you're one of us?" Carnage laughed as Ignis grit his teeth.

"Cherri!" Ryan yelled, "Get behind something and duck!" The Maiden wasn't going to argue in this situation, and hurriedly dove behind the Bullhead. Carnage's head whipped back to Ignis in time for his vision to flood with orange flames. Cherri let out a shriek of fear as a literal wave of fire licked around the edge of her cover. She quickly patted out a patch on her clothes that had begun to smolder. She poked her head around the aircraft, finding Carnage picking himself up off the ground some twenty meters away from where he had been. Ryan stood from the spot he had been laying. Bright orange flames spurted from the cracks in the ex-Lord's armor, accompanied by a glow of the same color. Ashes of Cherri's beloved plants that had been caught in the blast drifted to the ground.

"Careful what you wish for, Carnage," Ryan narrowed his eyes at the Lord. Cherri suddenly noticed what looked like molten metal crawling up Ryan's neck, slowly encompassing his head in a blackened helmet. Twin eye holes flashed to life and poured fire out of the corners. Ignis spoke in a voice that sounded like several people speaking in perfect unison. "You just might get what you asked for."

"Now, _that's_ more like it!" Carnage grinned eagerly. Ignis seemed to no longer notice his injures and charged his opponent. The smaller Bloodline leaned under a horizontal swipe of the Lord's arm. With a flick of his wrist, Ignis returned his weapon to its blade form and dug the weapon deep into Carnage's right flank before ripping the sword viciously from his opponent's body. Metal and electrical parts flew from the strike, a melted path tracing the blade's path. Carnage smashed his fists down on his opponent, causing Ignis' left knee to emit a loud pop and twist as he blocked the attack. Ignis held his palm out toward the Lord, unleashing a roaring torrent of fire, completely encompassing the metal giant. Carnage's fist came flying through the flames, swinging into Ignis' side, sending fragments of the burning Bloodline's armor sailing away.

Carnage suddenly fell forward as a thick tree root sprouted into existence and wrapped itself around his legs. Ignis' head whipped back towards the Bullhead. Cherri stood with her hand held out towards the constricted Lord, a look of strained concentration on her face. More large roots ripped up from underneath the pavement and tied Carnage down. The Lord simply grinned and proceeded to rip his way out of the wooden binds.

"Did you really think that plants would stop me?" He laughed and swatted away another strike from Ignis. "You-" The Lord suddenly stopped and listened to a radio transmission that only he could hear. "Unfortunate. It seems the people in the city are giving my troops more trouble than I thought they would. We'll have to cut our fight short, Ignis." Ryan became acutely aware of a rapidly approaching Order dropship. The aircraft's nose-mounted rotary gun spun menacingly. "Aim for the girl," Carnage commanded calmly.

Ignis sprinted to tackle Cherri behind the Bullhead as a downpour of bullets rained in around them. The Maiden yelped in pain. They saw the dropship lower itself to allow the giant Lord to embark while continuing to keep them pinned with its gun. The aircraft's engines whined as the transport increased its altitude and sped away towards the besieged Vacuo.

Ryan suddenly realized he had grabbed Cherri with his ability still active and promptly switched it off, causing his helmet to vanish in a puff of ash. "Cherri, are you alright?!" It took her a few moments to respond with a nod as she breathed heavily. The cloth on her right shoulder was scorched from where Ignis' hand had touched her, and the skin underneath was covered in a first-degree burn, which thankfully was quickly healing. "Damn it, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking when-" She rose her hand to stop him.

"I think..." she panted, "that getting a slight burn from you is preferable to being torn apart by a machine gun..." She looked at her exposed shoulder as the red splotches vanished. "I think we should probably go... before that... thing... decides to come back."

"Agreed-" Ryan attempted to stand, but instead fell down onto his side, fading into unconsciousness in a split second. Thick red liquid began to leak through seams in his chestplate and puddle beneath him. Cherri rushed to his side, hurriedly removing the Bloodline's armor. She let out a small gasp of horror. She could count the number of unbroken ribs the Lord had on one hand. With a heave, she dragged the injured man onto the Bullhead. She sighed in relief when the transport started up and the autopilot program Ozpin had installed kicked in. As the transport soared into the sky, Cherri rushed back to check on Ryan's injuries. She gently brushed the man's his hair out of his face as she knelt over him.

"Damn it," she said softly, concentrating her power, "I _just_ fixed you up." Cherri smiled kindly. "Thank you, Ryan."

* * *

A Fenrir's exploded into flames as Cinder snapped her fingers. The creature flailed around for a few moments before bursting into black mist. Cinder summoned a single sword made of obsidian, and separated a Banshee's head from its body. A trio of bullets ripped into another Shade that had escaped her attention.

"Thanks, General," Cinder gave Barnes a respectful nod.

"You're quite welcome," he replied. "Watch it, looks like another wave." Sure enough, another horde of assorted Shades tore down Beacon's main hall. The staff had regrouped to hold the main doorway into the academy, protecting the few students that had stayed on campus for their break. Despite Ozpin's protests, however, quite a few of the kids had picked up their weapons and were lending a hand while the headmaster attempted to hide them all in a bunker. Losses had been heavy. More than fifty teachers, students, and others had fallen to the seemingly endless swarm of Shades.

"Professor! Miss Fall! Get clear!" A blond male student yelled from the top of a landing on the second floor, a grenade launcher braced against his shoulder. The pair quickly darted out of the way as the student rained exploding death down on the Shades. The three other members of the young man's team joined him with their respective weapons. A marksman's rifle steadily cracked at single targets while the other two team mates watched their friends' backs. Cinder waved her hand to incinerate a trio of Shades that had grown too close. A jet of fire streamed by her side into the oncoming enemies.

"How's it coming, Bartholomew?" Barnes asked.

"Not fast enough, I'm afraid, Avery," Oobleck replied through gritted teeth. "We've managed to guide many of the students into the secure emergency bunker beneath the school, but that blasted elevator is the only way in, and it only fits about ten people at once. Peter and Glynda are doing their best to keep Shades that slip in from other parts of the school away from the students."

"I see," Barnes nodded, "Then we-" The General's statement was cut off as the four students on the balcony shrieked in fear. A trio of Order troops, led by a Knight, had come down the hallway on the second floor. The boy with the grenade launcher's head snapped back as one of the soldiers shot him remorselessly. One of the girls on his team cried his name. "Rillo". Short for Amarillo, Barnes recalled. He was a good kid. Bright spirited. Tried his best. And now his body lay in a crumpled heap on the floor, his last moment of shock and pain still on his face.

Cinder and Oobleck flinched in shock as Barnes' handgun discharged rapidly, precisely leaving tight groupings of holes in the Order troops' visors. The bodies fell to the ground with heavy thumps. For a moment, Cinder didn't see the old General anymore, but a younger, more lethal Barnes.

"All of you," Barnes addressed the students. "Get to the bunker. And... take Rillo with you."

"Professor, we-" the girl that had cried the boy's name had fire in her eyes. A burning hatred for the people that had killed her friend. "We can still fight!"

"No, you're done. Get to safety. Live," Barnes commanded firmly, using a voice Cinder had never heard him use before. "This is getting too dangerous. I can't let anymore of you die." He paused several moments. "Cinder. Bartholomew. We can't hold this position any longer." They quickly nodded and followed him up the stairs, the trio of students trailing behind them with Rillo's body on their backs.

In a few short minutes, they had reached their goal. Cinder followed Barnes as they stepped into a cramped office filled with frightened students and shaken staff members. Even the unflappable Glynda looked tired and disheveled, strands of hair loosely hanging from their normal tied positions. Port leaned against a wall and panted with his weapon held in his hands, keeping a watchful eye on the door. Ozpin attempted to keep order as he filed group after group of students into the elevator at the back of the room.

"Mr. Barnes," the headmaster breathed, "has the entrance fallen?"

"We had to abandon it, we were suffering too many casualties," the General looked like he wanted to punch himself for using the word "casualties". _They were just kids, damn it._

"I understand," Ozpin bowed his head. "We only have a handful of students who need to be sent down into the bunker... after that, the staff can follow."

"But there's nothing guaranteeing that the Order won't be able to simply follow us into the bunker?" Cinder asked.

"There is... a locking mechanism," Ozpin answered, "But there is a possibility that the Order could still gain access to the bunker via the terminal in my office."

"In that case," Barnes said, "you all head down into the bunker while I trash Ozpin's computer. Textbook asset denial."

"On your own?" Glynda spoke up. Barnes had been unaware she had been listening in.

"Indeed, it sounds rather foolish," Port panted from his position against the wall. "Why not allow at least one of us to accompany you?"

"Avery," Oobleck added, "you are as much a part of this academy now as any of us. It would be inappropriate of us to ask you to undergo a dangerous mission alone."

"Seems Huntsman and the EDC have something in common," Cinder smirked, "sticking together."

"I appreciate the offers," Barnes sighed, "but I have an idea. Don't worry."

"This plan had better involve you coming back," Cinder narrowed her eyes.

"Just get down into the Bunker where you'll all be safe. I'll get there, I promise." With that, Barnes turned and strode out of the room.

Barnes' first stop was the room responsible for storing the EDC's equipment. He dusted off box after box of varying objects, stopping when he located a suitcase-like container marked as "Silencers – Class 3" He quickly opened the container and affixed the attachment to his weapon, grabbing a handful of grenades and a sub-machine gun on his way out.

Barnes quickly poked his head out of the storage room door, checking for any Order troops. A majority of their forces seemed to be tied up in Vale fighting the local Huntsmen and the police. This left Beacon to deal with the stragglers that wandered their way. The General proceeded up a staircase, climbing his way to Ozpin's office, his pistol ready in his hand.

Footsteps alerted Barnes to the presence of enemies, causing the General to tuck himself behind a pillar to hide. A large group of Order troops passed him. Several Knights and Acolytes, and more than a handful of Shades.

"Where the hell did they all go? This place is quieter than a ghost town," one of the Knights said loudly.

"We'll just keep searching every room," another replied.

"Comms just said that Lord Europa had to be exfiltrated. And there's reports of another Bloodline down in the city," an Acolyte spoke up.

"Damn, we'd better mop up quick if someone took down Lord Europa. Spread out, keep looking."

Barnes remained silent until the Order troops passed out of sight and hearing completely. With a relieved sigh, he hurried up to his destination. The attack had occurred so quickly, Ozpin hadn't even had time to lock the door. Barnes made sure no one was around, then proceeded to pump two full magazines of ammunition into the headmaster's terminal. Barnes began to make his way towards the elevator at the back of Ozpin's office, when the sound of a rifle safety clicking off caused him to freeze.

"Well, well," one of the Order Knights from before said. "What've we got here? An old man trying to keep us from something?" The Knight motioned with his hand, sending four Acolytes and a handful of Shades to surround Barnes. "Bag him, he might be able to tell us where the other survivors are."

In one fluid motion, Barnes brought the SMG from his hip to his shoulder. The Knight had no time to react as the bullets tore into him at point-blank range. Barnes ducked behind Ozpin's desk, tossing the grenade he had grabbed behind him. A blast of thunder ripped the Shades and a pair of Acolytes to shreds. The remaining Order troops opened fire on the desk, bullets ricocheting and tearing through the metal. Barnes steeled himself and rolled out of cover, leveling his weapon at the two Acolytes. He narrowed his eyes and pulled the trigger.

Cinder rushed to the bunker door as a series of knocks tapped against its metal. The staff hurriedly tapped in a code to unlock the door as the external camera saw the top of Barnes' gray-haired head. Cinder was the first one at the entrance as it rolled open. Her eyes widened in shock as she had to catch the General as he fell towards her. Bullet holes covered his body. Without a doubt, almost every organ in his body had taken a hit. Despite that, he had somehow managed to force himself to make it to the bunker.

"Cinder..." Barnes said weakly, "I told you... I'd make it... back..." Cinder couldn't respond. None of them could. "What's... with all... the glum looks...?" the General coughed. "I knew... this day... was coming... eventually... At least... I got... to go out... the way I wanted..."

"You shouldn't be 'going out' at all." Cinder managed to say weakly. "I mean, what about all the stuff I still have to learn from you?"

"Cinder... you'll do... great..." Barnes smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I have... faith... in you... It was... an honor... being able... to meet you... to meet everyone... You all... gave this old man... purpose beyond war..." For the first time, Cinder saw a tear roll down the old General's face. "Thank... you..." And in that instant, Avery Barnes closed his eyes for the last time.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, this is going to be a theme for a few chapters it seems. Pacing and tone might be a tad off.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **REVIEW REPLIES**

 **Xenolis: Just gonna say, Shiro isn't from Earth.**

 **Stevealio163: I think the chest wound is a slightly more pressing matter...**


	27. Chapter 26

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

 _ **CHAPTER 26**_

* * *

Charles stared at Golem with a befuddled expression. The Lord had been raring to fight him a few minutes before, but had suddenly stopped and seemed to fall into deep thought for a moment.

"Wait," the Lord said, "this won't do at all. What is your weapon of choice?"

"What? Shortsword. Why?" Charles startled slightly as a stone blade the length of his forearm suddenly rose from the ground on a flat table.

"There is no honor in an unfair fight," Golem stated as if it were obvious. "Ah, right. I almost forgot." To Charles' shock, the Lord removed his helmet and set it on the ground at his feet. "This way, our skills and natural talents are tested on an even playing field."

Golem was... surprisingly plain looking. He was a man of clearly Asian descent, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties. He had short black hair and narrow dark brown eyes. The strangest thing was how calm and cheerful he appeared.

Charles shot a glance towards Alyia. His daughter was still in the process of fighting the two remaining Knights that had accompanied Golem. The pair of Order soldiers had summoned Shades to make her job more difficult, but she seemed to be managing.

"So, what's your deal?" Charles asked, dropping into a ready stance after cautiously taking the stone shortsword. "You Order types normally aren't this... polite."

"Ah, that," Golem summoned a stone polearm from the ground. A Japanese weapon Charles recognized as a "naginata". "Let us say that I lack the... _zealotry_... that many of the organization possess. I care not for Agony's greater goals. I simply wish to test myself against strong opponents and defeat them in battle. Now... let us begin."

Golem flashed forward and jabbed his weapon at Charles' chest. The Terror Inheritor jumped to his right to avoid the stab, but had to duck underneath a horizontal slash of the polearm when the Lord readjusted the blade's angle. Charles found himself fighting the Lord cautiously. When Golem had first appeared, he had said that Charles' overconfidence might be his undoing. What could that mean? His overconfidence in what? The only thing he had guessed at was- Golem's ability. Was his Secondary not increased speed?

Charles parried another strike from the naginata and sent a fireball flying at the Lord. Golem raised a stone wall to block the flaming orb, which exploded violently and cracked the Lord's barrier. Charles pushed his hand forward, shattering the weakened wall into large boulders with his Kinesis. The rocky projectiles froze in midair as the Lord rose his hand.

"Well done, you forced me to change," Golem said calmly.

"I figured," Charles replied. "Your Secondary Ability is Mimicry, isn't it? That's a rare one."

"Ah, so you _did_ deduce my true power," the Lord smiled happily. "It seems you are not only strong, but intelligent as well. Indeed, I can take another person's power as my own if they are close enough, but I can only keep one at a time."

"Yeah, I ran into someone like that once," Charles shook his head, and the two began taking swipes at each other once again. Charles didn't bother trying to fly, if Golem had copied his Kinesis ability, he would only be a floating target if the Lord held him in place. Neither fighter wanted to needlessly waste energy, so both were keeping their ability use to a minimum. This was a battle of stamina now, not strength.

"Charles!" Weiss' voice shouted. "We're ready to go! Get on!" Behind the mess of the battling Bloodlines and the swarm Alyia was engaged in combat with, Ironwood's dustplane rolled out onto the tarmac. Lights lit up across its body as it positioned itself for takeoff.

"Alyia! Go!" Charles ordered. His daughter gave him a quick nod. She grabbed one of the Knights, pulled the pin off a grenade on his belt, and kicked the soldier into his allies. The Guardian sprinted towards the dustplane as the explosive detonated with a resounding boom. "Sorry, pal," Charles addressed Golem. "Looks like my ride's here."

"I will not allow you to retreat from this duel," the Lord said seriously, leveling his weapon at Charles. Golem rushed at Charles with a renewed fervor, the two stone weapons chipping and grinding against each other. He wasn't giving Charles an easy way out.

"Weiss! What are doing!?" Winter's voice shrieked. Charles took a risk to look over his shoulder. Weiss had jumped off the dustplane and was running towards the two Bloodlines with a vial in her hands.

"It's time to go!" Weiss yelled, activating one of her glyphs and throwing the vial through it. The glass tube accelerated to a blinding speed, slamming into Golem and erupting into a thick smoke. Weiss wasted no time in grabbing Charles by the hand and leading him towards the transport.

"Thank you, Weiss," Charles breathed as she released his palm.

"No problem," She smiled as they reached the dustplane. Weiss jumped into the ship, where Alyia, Ironwood, and Winter were standing at the ready to assist her. She turned to help Charles up.

Suddenly, she felt a light spray of blood hit her face. Charles froze and looked down. Golem's naginata had speared him just below his heart. Weiss stared in horror, Winter and Alyia let out cries of shock. The younger Schnee's gaze fell onto the distant form of the Lord, who had not moved from his original spot. Instead, next to him hovered a glyph. Weiss' glyph.

Charles began to fall backwards, managing to look Ironwood in the eye and say one last word. "Go."

* * *

Alex stepped sideways in front of the pale woman, leveling his rifle at her. Luna was at his side, while Dimitri and Firo circled their unknown opponent. Yang had rushed to check on Ryland and Carbon with Ruby and Blake covering her. Somewhere in the confusion of the pale woman's arrival, Europa had vanished. Now the EDC and their friends stood between the mysterious woman and the silver-haired girl.

"You don't have to get in the way, you know," the ghostly woman said sweetly. "I just want our little friend there." She pointed at Melody.

"You've got another thing coming if you think I'm going to just let you kidnap somebody," Alex growled.

"Well, I tried asking nicely," the woman shrugged. She suddenly waved her hand dismissively, and Alex felt a powerful invisible force smash into his arm. The soldier was sent flying into Luna, the two tumbling to the ground over ten feet away. Dimitri and Firo were similarly thrown, with the Russian catching and cushioning his partner's fall. The pale woman walked towards the silver-haired girl, waving her hand to toss aside Ruby and Blake when the students tried to intercept her.

"Hello," the woman stopped in front of Melody, "my name is Shiro. I've been searching for you for a long time."

"Wha- What do you want from me?" the silver-haired girl quivered, falling to her knees at the oppressive air Shiro was giving off.

"That's easy. I want your power. It doesn't really seem like you're using it all that much anyway. So-" Shiro blurred back several steps to avoid a hail of bullets from Dimitri's machine gun. "That was rude." In the span of a few seconds, the Russian found himself lifted into the air before being slammed into the ground with enough force to crack the concrete. Firo raised her rifle, only for her arms to be encased in heavy ice a moment later.

"I get the feeling you're playing with us," Alex spat, squeezing off a burst from his rifle. Shiro blurred away, reappearing behind Luna. The azure-haired soldier felt her gun wrestled from her hand and another arm hook around her neck. "Luna!"

"Well, you're right. If I really felt killing you would be worth my time, it be about... this easy." Shiro punctuated her sentence by twisting Luna's right arm, visibly popping the limb from its socket and breaking bone. She dropped Luna to the ground, the azure-haired woman letting out a soft cry of pain.

Dimitri pushed himself up off the cement and drew his sidearm, popping several shots at Shiro. Firo managed to free herself from the ice and brought her marksman's rifle up to her shoulder, joining the Russian in firing on the pale woman. Alex took the opportunity to press down on the trigger as well.

Despite being fired at by three firearms, Shiro remained completely calm and sped away in a blur, kicking up dirt and ice crystals as she moved.

"It seems you all have a problem with learning," she smiled. Shiro rushed forward and punched Alex in the gut. The amount of force behind the blow immediately collapsed the soldier's shields and dented the plating underneath. Another fist followed the first, shattering Alex's visor and sending him to the ground, where he lay still.

"Boss!" Dimitri yelled, he and Firo attempting to hit Shiro with a single bullet. The pale woman yawned and continued to dodge the shots with ease. Without warning, Shiro suddenly stopped in place and the Russian and Faunus' projectiles found their marks. Shiro searched for what had stopped her while bullets tore into her limbs and torso, though the wounds healed quickly. Her foot had been frozen to the ground. She quickly freed herself and returned to avoiding, only to be stopped once again as a Dust round hit her in the ankle. Shiro's head whipped towards the source of the shot, finding Ruby aiming at her with Crescent Rose.

"You. Leave. Our. Friends. _Alone_!" Ruby shouted, firing off a round with every word. Behind her, Yang held Ryland protectively in her arms while Blake rushed up to assist her team leader. Melody sat weakly on the ground, still clearly unable to fully process what was going on around her.

"Why are you doing this?" Melody asked Ruby in bewilderment. "She just wants me. Maybe if I just give myself up, you all-"

"It's not just about you," Blake answered. "She hurt our friends, so we're going to take her down."

"That's right," Ruby affirmed. "Yang! Get Ryland and Mr. Carbon somewhere safe."

"On it!" Yang nodded.

"You go with her," Ruby ordered Melody, continuing to slow Shiro with Ice Dust. "We've got this."

"Than-" Melody began.

"Ruby, watch out!" Blake yelled. The cloaked girl jumped back, Crescent Rose being torn from her grasp and being sent sailing into the air by a powerful upward kick from Shiro. Blake leveled Gambol Shroud at the pale woman and emptied her magazine. Shiro grabbed the Faunus student by her hair and smashed her into the ground.

"You won't be keeping me from my prize!" Shiro yelled, her patience seeming to finally wear out for a moment. "I have come too far to fail now!" She pulled a small dagger from her waist and threw it behind her, where it buried itself in Dimitri's shoulder. Ruby was neutralized with a kick to the stomach, falling in a pained heap against the concrete. Melody froze in place, her knees shaking as Shiro single-handedly incapacitated everyone present, including Yang, who had attempted to come back to help.

"Now, then," Shiro sighed and walked towards Melody. She quickly brushed her long white hair from her face and readopted her smile. "Now that all the interruptions are taken care of, where were we?" Melody took several steps back, tripping onto her rear when her foot caught on Carbon's lifeless form.

"Chess," Melody whispered to herself. "I'm sorry. I'm not sure what I did to make you angry, but I'm sorry..."

"Now, be a good girl and hold still," Shiro smiled, reaching out for the young girl's throat.

"Chess, I'm sorry!" Melody cried.

"Who-" Shiro jumped back as hundreds of shadowy spikes spouted from the ground around her. Alex groaned and moved his head, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the last person he expected to see. A young man in black armor stood between Shiro and Melody, messy snow-white hair swaying softly in the wind. His red eyes had lost their maddened luster, now narrowed in concentration.

Chaos turned to Melody for a moment. "You don't have anything to apologize for."

* * *

 **A/N: Chaos returns! Sorry that this chapter took a little longer to write. Updates are slowing down a bit as I dedicate time to other projects.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **Skaana: The may have the same rank, but Marcia and Barnes certainly won't run things the same way.**


	28. Chapter 27

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 27**_

"Oh! You're that boy I ran into back in Mountain Glenn," Shiro smiled happily. "How naughty of you to lie about knowing where she was!"

"Greene, you still alive?" Chaos ignored the pale woman. Alex groaned in pain and attempted to stand. "Good. We'll settle our differences later. For now, just take your pals and get going." Alex stared at the Bloodline in complete confusion, Chaos was being unusually collected. Dimitri moved over to Alex's side and gave him a small shake.

"Let's do as he says just this once," the Russian whispered.

"Right... Let's get everyone to safety," Alex nodded.

* * *

 _You're sure about this?_ Chaos asked silently, his eyes darting to his side where the phantom boy stood.

 _What are you_ _doing you filthy brat!? You_ _-_ The woman's voice cut off.

 _I thought you said you were handling that._ The ex-Lord thought.

 _I am trying._ The boy replied. _Sending more power to you is making it harder for me to keep her in check._

 _You still haven't exactly explained what that means._

 _You'll see once you use it._

 _That's certainly unhelpful and cryptic._ Chaos rolled his eyes.

 _Just focus on protecting Melody._ The boy's voice suddenly became serious and flat. _Watch our right, she's attempting to get around us._ Shiro suddenly found her path blocked by a wall of sharp shadowy blades. The spikes closed in around her and stabbed forward, forcing the pale woman to jump out of the way to avoid being impaled.

 _Don't be so aggressive._ The boy warned. _It's clear that she will be able to win if we overextend ourselves._

 _How do we win, then?_ Chaos asked. Shiro paced back and forth about twenty feet away, growing noticeably more impatient.

"Chess..." Melody spoke up hesitantly. She still hadn't moved from her spot on the ground behind the Lord. It seemed like her legs had simply given out from stress, and she shook in a mixture of shock and confusion. "I-"

"It'll be fine, just stay put," Chaos said in an uncharacteristically kind tone. Shiro attempted to take advantage of his momentary distraction, rushing forward in an attempt to get at Melody. Her path was once again blocked by dark spikes, causing her to let out a frustrated noise.

"Come _on_! Either hand her over or make a move," Shiro called exasperatedly. "I still have to find two more after her."

 _What's the plan?_ Chaos asked the boy.

 _We can't go on the offensive as long as Melody is still in danger. If we had a way to keep our opponent completely occupied, we might- Wait, do you feel that?_ The boy stopped and looked toward the sky. Alex and the others stopped in their tracks, gazing at the sky as a bright purple blip became visible in the sky. The dot sped towards them, growing larger and larger. Even Shiro turned to look at the approaching speck, sensing the surge of energy coming from it.

The glowing form slammed into the ground nearby, sending fragments of melting concrete sailing away. A man stood from the settling debris, dressed in a trench coat and pure white armor and mask. Four crow's wings, made of dark purple flames, burned at his back. Chaos' felt a thrill of fear pass through his heart. The last time he and this man had met, the snow-haired Lord had been defeated in a most spectacular fashion. Judging from the shocked expressions on Alex and Dimitri's faces, they recognized the newcomer as well.

"Jerloh! What did I say about rushing ahead!?" A woman's voice yelled. A group consisting of four students, the voice's owner, and a child ran towards the academy.

"Hey, Arthur, Anika, and their friends were worried about their school, so I got us here as quickly as possible," the man shrugged.

"I know, but- Chaos!?" the middle-aged woman, dressed in what the ex-Lord recognized as an EDC General's uniform with a set of armor over it, leveled an Anti-Material Rifle at the Bloodline's head.

"Marcie!?" Alex and Dimitri called out in unison at the woman's voice. Her gaze fell on the two soldiers, meeting their eyes. A look of complete confusion passed over her face.

Everybody's concentration broke as Chaos summoned another wall of spikes to block Shiro.

"I hate to break you all up," the snow-haired Bloodline yelled, "but could you either help me or get the hell out of here!?"

"Hey," Shiro looked at Marcia and Jerloh, "this guy's your enemy, right? Why don't you lend _me_ a hand instead?"

"Don't listen to her!" Alex yelled. "As crazy as it is, Chaos is actually on our side!"

"That's not true," Shiro smiled, "does this face look like it could hurt a-" A bullet grazed her cheek. Anika had broken off from Pyrrha and the rest of her team and leveled her rifle at the pale woman.

"I trust the Major _way_ more than you," the EDC sniper smirked. "You don't stand a chance against us. It would be better for you to just give up."

"Is that so?" Shiro's voice became dangerously flat.

"Anika, move! She's-" Arthur attempted to warn her, but it came a moment too late. Shiro flashed forward and snapped her fingers in Anika's face. A blaze of fire erupted for a split second, blinding the others. Pyrrha had reacted the fastest, using her shield to block the light. A blackened trail inhabited the spot Anika had been just a moment before. Horribly disfigured piles of metallic slag littered the scorched area. The remains of the sniper's rifle and armor.

"Anika!" Emerald called out, hoping in vain that the girl that had become her friend was still alive. Arthur began to shake in silent fury. Shiro ran a hand through her hair, recomposing herself.

"Sorry about that," the pale woman said happily. "She was just so rude that I lost my temper for a moment. Let's start over from where we left-" Shiro was suddenly thrown by an invisible force, smashing her into the side of a cement wall, which collapsed on top of her. Jerloh stepped forward, his palm out towards where the woman had flown.

"Marcie, we'll have time to understand what's going on later. You and the others go help Alex, Dimitri, and whatever wounded they have. I'll... help Chaos."

"Are you sure?" the EDC General asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I think I've got this," the Terror Inheritor answered, his voice laced with a shaking rage.

"Kick her butt, Daddy," Lex spoke up. Pyrrha suddenly noticed that the small girl's eyes had an exceptionally stony look to them.

"That's a promise," Jerloh nodded and walked over to Chaos and Melody as the others moved to assist Alex's group. "You know, 'I'll help Chaos' was probably the one sentence I thought I'd never say."

"If it's any consolation, I never thought I'd fight alongside _you_ , either," the ex-Lord answered, crossing his arms.

"Well, just don't try anything, or I'll have to put you back in the ground," Jerloh shrugged.

"Chess wouldn't do that! Right?" Melody spoke shakily, eying the crow-winged Bloodline with distrust. The aura of fear he gave off certainly wasn't helping her feel comfortable around him. Even Chaos twitched uneasily in his presence.

"Nice to see you made a friend," Jerloh nodded kindly.

"She's-" Chaos stopped and closed his eyes for a moment. "Nevermind... I suppose she is..." Despite the dire situation, Melody's expression lit up for an instant. "Drop it, we've got more important things to deal with than chatting like idiots."

"Yeah, I think we're in agreement for once," Jerloh nodded, catching sight of a disheveled Shiro pulling herself from the rubble. "So what's this gal's deal?"

"She- She wants to capture... or kill.. I'm not really sure. She wants me," Melody supplied.

"I see. Okay, Chaos. I'll provide ranged support and protect your friend- What's your name?"

"Melody."

"Nice to meet you. I'll protect Melody if you can handle being up close and personal to our mutual enemy," Jerloh clarified.

"That won't be an issue," Chaos answered, stepping forward. "You had better make sure that nothing hap-"

"Don't get your pants in a bunch," Jerloh cut him off, drawing a pair of heavy-looking revolvers from his waist. A single-edged sword with a crescent-shaped hook cut from its blade floated out from its sheath on the Bloodline's back, hovering an arm's length to his right. "I'll make sure Melody doesn't get a scratch."

"You'd better."

* * *

 _Is it time?_ Chaos asked the boy, who had not strayed from his side since the ordeal had begun.

 _Yes, now would be the time to use your new-_

 _How dare you! You goddamn-_ The boy snapped his fingers to silence the woman's voice.

 _As I was saying... Now is the correct time to make use of the increased power I have granted you._

 _Good. How do I use it?_ Chaos demanded. _Now would be better than later._

 _Very well. Close your eyes. Clear your heart and mind._ The boy instructed. Chaos did as he was told, feeling more than a little foolish at depriving himself of vision when his opponent could be upon him at any moment.

 _What exactly is this power?_ The ex-Lord inquired.

 _You've seen it before. The strength that the Guardians found to fight the Order._ _To fully become one with their abilities._ The boy explained. _As you know, this will not leave your own body unscathed._

 _That's fine._ Chaos replied.

 _Then, awaken, Inheritor. Become discord, anarchy, and pandemonium. Become the embodiment of chaos you were born to be._

* * *

Shiro brushed the last bit of dust off of her body and stepped out from the pile of rubble. She was beginning to get frustrated. After coming all this way, she just kept getting stopped by- What was that? Her eyes snapped to Chaos, who stood in place with his eyes closed, letting off a massive amount of energy.

Long thin shadows rose from the ground and stabbed into the Bloodline's arms, causing a dark haze to gather around his hands. The ex-Lord's gauntlets cracked like plaster and fell to the ground, revealing Chaos' pale skin underneath. The shadows had visibly stained his veins a pitch-black. The dark haze solidified around his hands, creating a pair of clawed "gloves", with each finger ending in a razor sharp talon. Black mist began to seep from seams in the Bloodline's armor. Chaos opened his eyes, his irises glowing a blood-red hue.

Shiro smiled. "It doesn't matter what you two do, you won't be able to beat me." To her surprise, a wide grin also spread across Chaos' face.

"I think it's time we put that to the test," the ex-Lord replied. Shiro rushed forward, hoping to strike him down before he could do anything. She hated to admit it, but she was slightly worried that this pair might stand a chance against her. That was something she could not allow. Shiro suddenly registered Chaos' shadow shifting oddly around his feet. The Bloodline took a step back, and a horrific creature burst from the ground at his feet.

The Shade Chaos had created looked like a two-meter tall puppet from hell. It had long lanky limbs, its legs dragging unnaturally across the ground as it moved. Foot-long blades decorated its hands instead of fingers. Wide lifeless eyes and a gaping mouth watched Shiro, though she appeared unperturbed by the dark horror. She made a mental note of the thin, almost invisible, black threads connecting the Shade to Chaos' shadow.

The Shade let out an unearthly howl, somewhere between a war cry and a scream. Both it and Chaos moved in to attack at once, claws swinging wildly through the air. Shiro jumped back out of the flurry of slashes. As long as she could avoid them, she- She suddenly remembered the presence of the second Bloodline. A round from one of Jerloh's revolvers slammed into the pale woman's side, exploding on contact into a small blast of flame.

Shiro's smile had not faded for the duration of the fight so far. She still appeared just as confident as ever. As the Shade moved to attack her again, the pale woman released a powerful blast of frigid wind, knocking the creature to the ground and pushing sending Chaos scraping along the cement. She took the opening to grab the Shade by its head. The creature let out one last fell shriek before its internal glow was sucked dry. Shiro dropped its lifeless husk, which dissipated into black mist. She moved to avoid more shots from Jerloh, the bullets ripping into the cement where she had stood.

"Thank you for that," she called sweetly. Claws identical to the puppet-Shade's sprung to life around Shiro's hand, only they were made of fire. The pale woman paused to admire her new weapons.

"What the hell was that?" Chaos demanded, pushing himself to his feet..

"That's my semblance. I can drain energy from things and take some or all of their power," Shiro explained happily. "I wasn't sure before, but I think I'd actually like to take your ability after I'm done with our silver-haired friend."

"Yeah..." Jerloh muttered. "Let's not feed her any more Shades."

"No shit," Chaos snapped. If all Shiro had to do was touch them to drain their ability, the Bloodlines would need a better plan to defeat her. Killing her would be difficult with her almost instantaneous healing. The ex-Lord suddenly remembered why he had hated fighting Auras with Regeneration Secondaries back on Earth.

 _You're thinking of this in the wrong way._ The boy said, reappearing a short distance from Chaos.

 _What do you mean?_

 _"Defeat" does not always mean "kill"._

"Terror, can you cover me?" Chaos asked through gritted teeth. He couldn't believe he was asking an enemy for help.

"Sure, what's the plan?" Jerloh reloaded his revolvers.

"I'm getting up close and personal," the ex-Lord replied flatly.

"Didn't we _just_ find out that was a bad idea?"

"Chess, what are you doing?" Melody looked at him with wide concerned eyes. Chaos let out a frustrated puff of air and turned back towards Shiro.

"Just do it." Chaos charged forward at the pale woman.

"Oh? You're giving me a chance to try these out?" Shiro asked, clicking her flaming claws together as he drew closer. "Don't worry, I still want to see what your power can do, so I'll just take out your legs." She began to block incoming shots from Jerloh as Chaos drew nearer. Once the ex-Lord was within reach, Shiro's grin grew and she took a low swipe at- Chaos vanished before her very eyes. For the first time over the course of the fight, Shiro's eyes widened in shock and her smile faded. She felt Chaos' hand grab her shoulder from behind.

"Teleporting? How-" Shiro vanished, leaving only silence hanging in the air.

"Never used my power like that before..." Chaos stared at his hand. "That might be useful..."

"Where did you just send her?" Melody asked.

"I'm not entirely sure... Hopefully far enough away that she won't bother anyone..."

* * *

"...did you-" Shiro stopped as she suddenly found herself in the middle of an unfamiliar landscape. Rolling dunes and sparse plants surrounded her. Sudden rage boiled inside her. How had she missed it!? How could she have missed that boy's power like that!? "No... No! I was so close! She was within my grasp!" Shiro shook with fury and screamed into the desert. What had her target called him? Oh, right. "Well, ' _Chess_ ', I will take special pleasure in taking your power. Every last drop of it!"

* * *

 **A/N: Well, this chapter turned out better than I thought it was going to. The schedule for updates is likely going to slow down to every other day, at least for a while. Sorry about that.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **REVIEW REPLIES**

 **Xenolis: Thank you.**

 **Hirshja: I'd say that's a fair representation of last chapter.**

 **Skaana: One of the things you said is potentially correct. I won't give it away quite yet.**

 **Chiper96: Thank you, I will continue to put all the effort I can into this story.**


	29. Chapter 28

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 28**_

"Well, this certainly became awkward quickly," Chaos muttered as he stared down a wary-looking group consisting of Jerloh and an infuriated-looking Marcia. Melody stood beside him, close enough for the Bloodline to feel her body heat.

When Europa had been removed from the field, the Order's line had begun to crumble, allowing the Vale forces to push them into a retreat. Now that Shiro was also absent, Chaos found himself the center of attention to a mixture of befuddled and angry people.

"We can't just let _Chaos_ up and leave!" Marcia said angrily. "Do you not remember how dangerous he is!?"

"Yes, but he also just helped us," Jerloh argued. "That has to warrant _something_."

"It warrants putting a bullet in his head!" the EDC General snarled.

"Wait," Melody spoke up hesitantly, "doesn't Chess get a say in this?"

"No!" Marcia yelled. "He lost his say after he murdered _hundreds_ of people!" Melody flinched at the older woman's seething rage. "Do you have _any_ idea what this bastard did!? How thick do you have to be to defend him!?"

"It seems I picked the wrong time to rejoin the party," Alex's voice cut in. The group turned to face the blond soldier, whose right arm and chest were both heavily bandaged. Smaller injuries stood out like sore thumbs across Alex's other limbs and face.

"Good to see you up and about, Alex," Jerloh greeted, "How're the others?"

"Arthur, Emerald, and Pyrrha got everyone back to what's left of the infirmary. Lots of fractured bones and stitches to go around. Ryland's been taken for an emergency surgery, but they said he should pull through," Alex supplied.

"There was another guy who was down when I showed up, did he-"

"Carbon didn't make it," the blond soldier shook his head and looked down.

"Damn. I'm sorry to hear that," Jerloh sighed.

"There'll be time to grieve for him once I'm sure everyone else is safe," Alex stated sadly.

"What's happening out here?"

"The Order's fallen back from the city," Marcia reported. "It looks like the local forces rallied and got them to pull out with their ship. Whether or not they'll be back is up in the air. Only thing left to do at the moment is to decide how we're going to deal with this piece of-"

"Hey!" Melody shouted as the EDC General gestured towards Chaos. "He's a person too! You could at least show a little respec-"

"He's not a Human! He's a damned monster!" Marcia spat back. "God, are you some sort of idiot!?" Sparks began to fly between the General and the silver-haired girl, while the two Bloodlines and Alex watched in exasperation.

"Marcia!" Alex shouted, getting her attention. "Go cool off. I'll deal with this." Reflexively, the General stood straighter.

"Underst- Wait, you don't outrank me anymore!"

"Doesn't matter. Do it," Alex said. "Please."

" _Fine_ ," Marcia gave in after a few moments. "We're going to talk about all of this later though. And you had better bet you're getting an earful."

"Of course," the blonde soldier nodded. He waited a few seconds for Marcia to storm out of earshot towards the academy. Alex turned to Jerloh, who hadn't moved from his spot. "What about you?"

"You and I are likely on the same page," the Terror Inheritor shrugged. "I'm in the camp of letting him off this time. I still would only trust him about as far as I could throw him, but he did fight on our side today."

"Then we _are_ in agreement," Alex nodded and sighed. "As much as I never thought I'd say this... Thanks, Chaos... or 'Chess'... or whoever you really are. This doesn't make us friends or even allies, but since you helped us today... you're free to leave."

"So... that's it?" Chaos tilted his head.

"Rest assured that I _will_ make sure you get what you deserve," Alex narrowed his eyes at the Bloodline. "Just not today."

"Good," the ex-Lord nodded. Melody looked at him oddly. "Then we'll settle things when that time comes." Without another word, Chaos turned and began to walk down the road away from the academy.

"Thank you," Melody bowed slightly to Alex and Jerloh before jogging off after Chaos' shrinking form. The pair quickly became dots in the distance.

"Guess that's the end of that for now..." Alex breathed.

"Seems so," Jerloh nodded. "So... you feel like sharing why your story about what's going on here?"

"I can give you a better rundown later... For now, let's make sure everyone's alright..."

* * *

Melody kept pace behind Chaos, eyeing him strangely. It seemed like he was distracted by something. He was constantly looking down at his side as if someone was standing there. Melody's gaze fell on the ex-Lord's hands. While he hadn't shown any indication that he was in pain, the silver-haired girl could only cringe as she saw blood drip down off his fingertips. It seemed that when the power Chaos had tapped into faded, the wounds from where the shadows had stabbed into his limbs had not.

Melody looked around them as they passed through Vale. Everywhere she looked, people sat and stood in shock. Rubble was strewn across every surface. Distant gunshots marked the presence of Hunters and police fighting straggling Shades or Grimm that had entered through breaches in the wall. She could hear the distant sounds of a child calling for their parents. Ahead of the pair, a young man was attempting to rescue what appeared to be his sister from underneath a slab of concrete.

"Hey! You over there!" the man cried as he caught sight of Melody and Chaos. "Please, I need your help! I can't get this off of her!"

"Chess, what do we-" Melody stopped in shock as the Bloodline changed direction and walked over to the trapped woman. He silently reached out a hand and placed it on the woman's forearm. In a moment, she vanished and reappeared several feet outside the pile of rubble. The young man began to vehemently thank Chaos for saving his sister, bowing deeply to the Bloodline.

"I can't thank you enough!" the young man said. "If I can repay you-"

"That won't be necessary," Chaos rose a hand.

"If you wish. I've got to get my sister to a hospital. Do you want to come with us? Your arm's bleeding pretty badly." The young man pointed to the blood dripping onto the ground.

"It's just a scratch," Chaos shook his head. "Go take care of your family." The young man bowed again before helping his sibling limp away towards the nearest medical facility. Melody walked over to the Bloodline, surprised when she caught a glimpse of a smile crossing his face.

"So, I guess you aren't so "evil and murderous" if you're helping random people in the street," the silver-haired girl grinned. Chaos turned to her, his face returning to a relatively unreadable expression. "You know, you can admit doing nice things feels good."

"Don't misunderstand. That was an opportunity to test out my power in a new way, nothing more," Chaos didn't meet Melody's gaze. The silver-haired girl saw an almost imperceptible amount of color tinge the Bloodline's pale cheeks.

"Uh-huh. Sure," Melody smiled softly. "I guess you aren't ready to admit you can be a good person..."

"Believe what you want," Chaos replied.

"So, where are we headed, Chess?"

"I was going to return to the building we were staying in in Mountain Glenn," the Bloodline answered. "After all, your bag and my supplies are still there."

"You kept my bag for me?" Melody asked. "Goodness, you're certainly being sweet."

"Are you _trying_ to push my buttons or something?" Chaos inquired with exasperation.

"Sorry," Melody sighed, "I'm trying to cope with everything that happened today."

"I see..." Chaos looked down at his side again, and Melody saw a deeper shade of red pass over his face. He slowed his pace and cleared his throat. "There was one other thing... Back in Mountain Glenn, I lost my head and yelled at you... You shouldn't take that personally- Er, that is- Damn it..." Melody began to giggle uncontrollably. " _What_?"

"I'm sorry," she breathed between laughter, "I've never seen you get flustered like that."

"I'm _trying_ to apologize to you. So... sorry... okay?" Chaos turned his head away for a moment. "I'm no good at this whole 'friends' thin-" He stopped as Melody suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head into his chest. The Lord stood awkwardly in place while the silver-haired girl embraced him.

"Apology accepted," Melody smiled.

 _See? That wasn't so hard, was it?_ Melody jumped at the sound of a young boy's voice. She released Chaos from the hug and looked around for the sound's source. The street remained devoid of anyone aside from herself and Chaos.

"Um, did you just hear something?" Melody asked. "Otherwise, I think I might have just started going insane." Chaos looked down to his side again for a moment. He held out his hand to her.

"He says that he wants to talk to you," Chaos stated. Melody gently took the ex-Lord's palm in her own. The moment she did, the form of a little boy with snow-white hair and blood-red eyes appeared next to Chaos.

 _Hello, Melody. It's nice to meet you._ The boy's mouth moved to the words, but the sound seemed to echo inside Melody's head.

"Um, hello?" she answered hesitantly. "Who are you?"

"Don't bother," Chaos spoke up, "I've been trying to get him to explain that since he showed up."

 _You simply ask questions that you already know the answers to, even if you don't know that you know._

"See what I mean?" the Bloodline said. Melody tightened her grip on Chaos' hand.

"I'm still unclear on how I'm seeing... um, whoever you are..." Melody blushed slightly in embarrassment.

 _Your connection with Chess allows me to communicate with you._ The boy tilted his head as if the answer was obvious. _Though, I still have to siphon off some of his energy to appear as an image. I could have spoken to you with only my voice, but I assumed this would make you more comfortable._

"Uh... Thanks? I guess?" Melody answered, confusion evident in both her voice and expression. "But... why does how I feel about Chess make this whole thing work?"

 _A connection goes both ways, not one. Otherwise, this wouldn't work at all._ Melody looked at Chaos, who immediately turned his head away to avoid her gaze. An urge to smile welled up in the silver-haired girl's heart. _I sense you have a different sort of question._

"I- Wait, how did you-"

 _As I said, this connection flows both ways._

"Um, then..." Melody started. Something had been bothering her the moment she had seen the little boy's form. "Why do you look so much like Chess? Who are you, really?"

 _Well, that's easy. I-_

"Wait a minute," Chaos said. "I've been trying to get that out of you for a while, and you just give her the answer?"

 _That's because who I am should be obvious to you... but it appears that you're more damaged than I realized. So, pay attention, because this is the only answer I will simply hand to you._

"Oh, just spit it out, alre-" Chaos' frustrated snap was silenced with a soft squeeze from Melody's hand.

"Don't be rude, Chess."

 _You should not concern yourself with that, Melody. One small outburst is not enough to frustrate me._ _Still, thank you for your words._

"So..." Melody started.

 _Of course... Well, the reason Chess and I are so similar in appearance..._ The boy paused a moment, as if wondering whether he was doing the right thing. _Well, that's because I am him."_

* * *

 **A/N: More Chaos and Melody. Chapter turned out pretty well, I think.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **REVIEW REPLIES**

 **Dghornick: Yeah, that part was certainly a little underwhelming. As for where Chaos sent Shiro, he didn't have any sort of precise control over it.**

 **Xenolis: Thanks, glad you thought so.**

 **Stevealio163: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) You ain't seen nothing yet. Though in all seriousness, the line I went with was the lesser of two evils.**

 **Skaana: Well, if Alex or Marcia sees him again, Chaos is in for more than just a punch.**


	30. Chapter 29

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 29**_

Ryland opened his eyes and groaned weakly. He immediately recognized the room he was in as the academy infirmary. The young soldier coughed on thick dust that hung in the air. As soon as he had made a sound, a certain blonde student rushed to his side to check him over worriedly.

"Ry! You're okay!" Yang shouted happily. She sat on the edge of the bed he had been placed in, helped him sit up, and leaned in to kiss him. She sighed in relief. "I thought..." Yang trailed off and shook her head.

"Well, I'm still in one piece," Ryland suddenly recalled his missing arm, "mostly, anyway... So, what happened?"

"That... that _bitch_ , she-" a frightening look crossed Yang's face as she thought of Europa. "She killed Carbon..." She saw Ryland's expression fall.

"I see..." the soldier said sadly. "How about you? You're not hurt too badly, are you?"

"I've got a lot of nicks and cuts, a couple fractures, but nothing my aura can't handle..." Yang felt Ryland grasp her hand tightly.

"Good... I'm glad... that..." Ryland trailed off and began to shake. "Damn it... Yang, I'm so sorry..." Tears rolled down the young soldier's face. "I was so _useless_ , I-"

"Hey," Yang wrapped her arms around him, "no talking like that. You did your best."

"Who else? Yang... Did any of the others die?"

"There... There was another woman that showed up after that Lord," Yang hesitated. "She- Anika-"

"Oh, God..." Ryland put his head in his hands. Yang tightened her embrace, tears rolling down her face as well now. "This- This can't be happening..." He suddenly tried to stand, stumbling as the wound in his chest released a lance of pain. Yang hurried to support him. "Can... Can you you help me walk?"

"Ry, you're hurt. Are you sure you should be-"

"I- I need to... I need to say goodbye to Carbon..." Ryland said between heaves of pain and grief.

"Okay..." Yang hooked his arm around her shoulders. "We'll go together..."

* * *

Ryland limped weakly down Beacon's halls while leaning on Yang's shoulder. The blonde stopped frequently to let the exhausted soldier catch his breath, before their pair would continue towards the entrance of the academy.

When they arrived, the couple was greeted only by the sight of dozens of bodies, their forms covered by sheets. Ryland picked out four familiar faces among the living who silently stood beside their fallen friends. Arthur and Emerald sat together in a corner, the latter with her face buried in the Guardian's chest as she visibly shook. Pyrrha stood at the doorway into the school, looking completely lost. She clearly wanted to stay near her friends, but had no idea what to say. Cinder knelt beside the body of Barnes, her eyes seeming to ask the veiled General what she should do.

Ryland felt the pit in his stomach continue to swell as he and Yang passed the various groups of mourning friends. Yang guided her boyfriend to a stop and helped him sit on the ground next to Carbon's covered form. She knelt beside him and grasped his right hand tightly. Ryland gulped and took a shaky breath.

"Hey, Gramps..." the soldier croaked out. "I- I thought... that I still had time... to say this... but, I just wanted... to say 'thanks'... Thanks for being a friend, and... hell, even a role-model for me. You... You just rest, Old Man...I think you've earned it..."

* * *

Marcia stepped over the threshold of the infirmary. The beds were filled with students and staff that had been wounded during the fighting. Alex had asked her to wait to talk, which the EDC General had hesitantly agreed to. She had so many questions and things to say, but she had held her tongue when she had seen how worried her old friend looked. Still, she'd waited long enough.

Marcia looked around, quickly spotting the pair she was looking for. Alex and Dimitri were seated next to two women the General recognized from the fighting before, though she didn't know their names. Dimitri noticed her, and whispered something to the woman with a white rabbit ear poking out from her hair. The Russian tapped Alex and directed his attention to their old teammate, who crossed her arms impatiently.

"Luna," Alex turned towards the woman with blue hair. "We've got to go talk for a while."

"Alright," she answered. "I'll keep fixing up Firo and the others while you're gone." Alex nodded and rose to his feet. Both he and Dimitri followed Marcia as she turned and strode out the door silently.

"I think it's safe to say she's upset," Dimitri whispered, nudging his head towards Marcia's back as she guided the pair of soldiers down the hallway to a quiet corner of the academy.

"Considering how quiet she's being?" Alex replied in an equally hushed voice. "I don't think 'upset' quite covers it, D."

"I think 'confused' sounds more accurate," Marcia said, stopping in front of them and turning on her heel to face her old friends. "I mean... I'm not even sure if you two are real right now-" She stopped as Alex placed a hand on her shoulder with a small smile.

"Real enough for you?" he asked. Marcia's fist collided with the his cheek, and her right foot kicked Dimitri in the stomach shortly afterward. "Agh- Geez! What was that for!?"

" _That_ was for shoving me onto a Dragonfly and making me leave you both behind!" the woman replied. Dimitri began to chuckle, then broke out into full-on laughter.

"It seems our little Marcia's edge hasn't dulled with age," the Russian laughed.

"I'm pretty sure I'm still younger than you, jackass," Marcia aimed another kick at her squadmate, though this time with a smile. The EDC General hooked one arm around each of her old friends and pulled them in for a hug. "Speaking of which, how old are you two? It doesn't look like its been twelve years for you."

"It's been three years since we got here," Alex answered.

"So that makes D... thirty-nine. And you..." a smirk broke over Marcia's face. "Thirty-two. Hah! Guess _you're_ the youngest now, Al."

"You realize the reason we called you 'little Marcia' wasn't because of your age, right?" Alex grinned as the woman in question punched him in the shoulder. "Hey now, don't go around hitting injured people."

"You've survived countless battle and a blast that leveled half a city. You'll survive me slapping you around a bit." The three of them laughed, the sound echoing off the smooth walls. Alex smiled to himself, remembering the old days they'd spent just like this. It took a moment, but the trio quickly sobered and returned to the matters at hand. "I'm sorry we had to meet again like this. Barnes... Anika... and God knows how many others..."

"Knowing Anika," Dimitri said softly, "she was probably happy to get to spend time with you, even if it was short."

"And from what I hear, the General went out the way he wanted," Alex added.

"We're all that's left, you know..." Marcia whispered. "You, D, Ryland, and me... we're the last four members of STRD First Infantry... I- I thought I was all alone... for so many years." Alex and Dimitri both hugged her as tears of both joy and grief leaked out of the corners of her eyes.

"Miss Evans," a woman's voice interrupted. Marcia disengaged herself from her old teammates and stood straight to address the newcomer, Glynda. "The headmaster would like to speak to you about arranging quarters for you and your companions"

"Y-yeah," Marcia nodded, hastily wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "I'll talk with him right away."

"In that case, if you would please follow me," Glynda motioned her hand down the hallway tiredly. Marcia turned to Alex and Dimitri to say a quick farewell, then chased after Glynda's departing figure.

"She's still the same as ever," Dimitri smiled.

"Yeah," Alex nodded, "good to know not everything changes."

* * *

"Well, you two aren't dead, so Marcie can't be that mad at you," Jerloh greeted Alex and Dimitri as they returned to the infirmary. The Bloodline had arrived sometime while they had been out. Ruby and Blake had also shown up at some point, the latter seemed to be trying to explain what a Faunus was to Lex.

"I think she has too many conflicting emotions to be angry right now," Dimitri sighed.

"That's probably true," Jerloh nodded. "So, Luna and Firo have been doing their best to catch me up to what's been going on since you both got here. You guys just can't _not_ get involved in things, huh?"

"Something like that," Alex replied, taking a seat in a wooden chair next to Luna. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm just worn out from using my semblance so much. I'll just listen in for a while..." Her eyes fluttered shut, and Alex could tell Luna had fallen asleep almost instantly.

"Professor Oobleck stopped by while you both out," Firo spoke up quietly from the bed she was sitting in. Her chest was wrapped heavily in bandages. "He's sad that General Barnes is gone."

"He also said that he checked on the hangar with the Corvette," Blake added, patting Lex's head as the little girl settled down in her lap. "It looks like the Order found it during the fighting and did their best to sabotage it."

"I ran down to take a look," Ruby shifted her position so she was sitting at the foot of Firo's bed, next to Blake. Alex reached out to brush a stray rose petal from her cloak. "The ship didn't look _too_ bad from the outside. We might have to scavenge parts from some of the other EDC vehicles, but I think we might be able to fix it."

"Someone as young as you is an engineer?" Jerloh asked.

"Sorta," Ruby scratched the back of her head. "I just figured that 'not blown up' was a good sign. I'm better with weapons than larger machines."

"The Huntsmen and Huntresses of Remnant would give the Guardians a run for their money," Dimitri stated proudly.

"Sounds like something we should test at some point," Jerloh replied with a kind smirk. "But that'll have to- What is that?" The Bloodline moved to a nearby window, where a large dark shape moved towards Vale on the horizon.

"Hold on," Ruby said, rushing to the window and squinting at the shape. "I think it's an Atlesian dustplane... but what's it doing here?"

* * *

"My Lord, the Lord Agony is asking for you on comms," an Order Acolyte said nervously, entering Europa's quarters aboard their ship. The female Lord had been in a foul mood ever since they had been forced to pull back. The Acolyte ducked as an icicle buried itself in the metal wall next to his head.

"Don't you know how to knock, idiot?" Europa snarled at her subordinate. While she wasn't in any major sort of undress, more of the Lord's peachy skin was visible than normal. She had exchanged her armor for a black tank-top and a pair of dark gray cargo pants. The stump of her right arm could be clearly seen, though the bleeding had been stopped by an Order healer.

"B-but..." the Acolyte stammered. "Lord Agony was quite insistent." He made a small "eep" noise as Europa walked over to him and stared at him menacingly. Even with one of her arms missing at the elbow, Europa could still probably kill the acolyte with little effort.

" _Fine_ ," the Lord muttered. The Acolyte let out a breath he had been holding. "Tell, Agony I'll be there in a minute." The Acolyte nodded his understanding rapidly and retreated from the Lord's room with haste.

* * *

"What do you want?" Europa demanded as she entering into a private communications room. Agony's face was displayed across a flat monitor that covered the wall.

"I intended to inquire about the result of your attack, but I find myself more curious about your arm," Agony replied.

"There were... complications... during the assault," Europa winced. "You underestimated how strong people of this world could be."

"You were cornered and defeated by a group of school children?" Agony quirked an eyebrow.

"No," Europa decided to omit the fact that a single blonde student had managed to fight her on even terms. "There was a woman. She was easily as strong as a Bloodline."

"I see. Would you say that this person a threat to our forces?"

"She didn't look that interested in fighting my troops. She was after her own target, though she was about to fight a group of EDC soldiers before I was extracted."

"Good, that means that she is likely to not to be a disturbance to anyone besides our enemies. This could work in our favor." Agony rubbed his bearded chin thoughtfully. "Have you destroyed the communications tower in the Kingdom?"

"Of course," Europa huffed in annoyance. "It was the first building we hit."

"Then your business in Vale is concluded. We have deprived the Kingdoms of an effective way to coordinate any sort of counter-offensive. Return to Mistral at once."

"How did the other attacks go, anyway?" Europa inquired.

"Both Carnage and Golem's assaults went relatively unhindered. However, from what I understand, Golem's forces had even greater trouble with combating the residents of Atlas than you did in Vale."

"That ought to deflate his ego," the female Lord smirked.

"Quite. Enough talk. Return to the rest of the fleet. I must begin work on a way for us to return to our own world. We will see about replacing your arm when you arrive."

* * *

In a field of dark gray ashes, far away from the rest of the world, a Beowolf crawled over the collapsed ruins of a once-great structure of polished black stone. The creature did not understand the significance of this place, nor the importance of the perfectly clear shards of Dust it occasionally knocked about with its feet.

The Grimm looked up as it sensed electricity crackle in the air. In front of the creature's red eyes, a small circular portal tore open a few feet above the ground. A female Human stepped through and dropped onto the ashen ground with a soft thud, kicking dust into the air. The Grim tilted its head and growled. Normally, it would have wasted no time in attacking a potential meal, but this Human smelled too strongly of light. It gave one last snarl before fleeing into the rotting dead forest in the distance.

The Human woman shook her head, trying in vain to remove ashes from her long blood-red hair. She took out a small round device and pressed it once, causing it to beep quietly. She looked around her at the solid expanse of varying grays that made up the landscape and sky. She patted some dust off the shoulder of her white armor.

 _ **You are of the other side.**_ A voice echoed across the breeze, causing the woman to turn.

"Who's there?" she called out.

 _ **I was once an inhabitant of these lands. Long ago, when they were rich and green. May I know your name?**_ _ **Why**_ _ **have you come**_ _ **?**_

"My name is Elise," the woman answered. "And I'm here to rescue my friends."

* * *

 **A/** **N: Well, my productivity kicked back in, so now we're returning to chapters being uploaded as I finish them. I might take one day a week off still to let myself rest, but that means you guys'll probably be getting 4-6 chapters a week until this story finishes.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

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 **Stevealio163: Oh god, I don't even want to think about that.**


	31. Chapter 30

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 30**_

The Atlesian dustplane slowly lowered itself onto the Beacon landing pad, throwing dust and small debris into the air. The craft touched down with a solid thump. The dustplane's ramp lowered just as a trio consisting of Alex, Ruby, and Jerloh ran up to greet the transport. There were clicks of shoes against metal as a small group of familiar faces disembarked.

"Ruby!" one of the dustplane's passengers yelled.

"Weiss!" the cloaked girl sprinted to hug her teammate. "You're okay!" To Ruby's surprise, Weiss returned the embrace, holding onto her partner tightly. The younger Schnee sibling shook and dropped to her knees.

"Ruby- My home- Atlas- Charles-" Weiss kept trying to speak, but failed to find her words. Tears streamed down her normally composed face. "Are- Are the others-"

"Yang and Blake are fine," Ruby assured her, still hugging Weiss tightly. "They're a little beaten up, but they're okay." Seeing her friend and partner buckle under the stress, Ruby suddenly felt the events of the day catch up with her. Images of Carbon and Ryland's bloodied forms, Anika disappearing in an instant, and the covered bodies in the academy came flooding into her mind. Ruby felt her own tears join Weiss'. "We're okay... We're all okay..."

"Ruby, maybe you should take Weiss up to the infirmary to talk to Yang and Blake," Alex said softly, placing his palm on the cloaked girl's shoulder. Ruby only nodded with tear-soaked eyes, then began quietly coaxing Weiss onto her feet. The pair of students silently began to walk together towards the school. Alex turned to another pair of people who had come off the Atlesian ship. "Winter, if you and Anise want to go with them-"

"I- I know," a shaken-looking Winter nodded, tightly holding Anise's hand in her own. "I... just can't believe this is happening... it's like something out of a nightmare." Winter visibly shuddered. "I don't know what to do..."

"The first thing you should do is get some rest," Alex said, noticing the tired expressions on the two girls' faces. "I'll tell D to come help you both settle in..." The blond soldier noticed a missing face among the group as Ironwood departed the ship with the last of the passengers. He suddenly had a good idea why the Schnee siblings appeared so distraught.

"Thank you, Alex," Winter's disheveled hair bobbed gently. "I- I think we'll take you up on that offer..." Alex placed a reassuring hand on Winter's shoulder as she passed him. "If either of you need to talk to somebody... you know we're all here, right?"

"Right..." Winter managed a ghost of a smile. "Thank you..." Alex watched the pair depart, Anise remaining latched onto Winter's side. Alex pulled out his scroll and quickly tapped out a message to Dimitri, letting him know they had company.

"Mr. Greene," Ironwood greeted tiredly. "It's good to see you're still alive."

"Same to you, General," Alex turned his attention to the Atlesian. "Though, you're not looking so great at the moment. Do you need to-"

"Rest can wait..." Ironwood cut him off. "I need... to speak with Ozpin, as quickly as possible."

"I think he's in what's left of his office..." Alex replied. "He called Glynda and a friend of mine up there to talk a while ago."

"Very well," the Atlesian General nodded solemnly. "I will head there right away." Ironwood began to walk towards Beacon with a slight, but noticeable, limp.

"General, you might want to get that checked out!" Alex called. Ironwood only waved his hand dismissively as continued walking. The blond soldier sighed, and turned his attention to the remaining disembarked passengers. They consisted mostly of frightened and shell-shocked Atlesian soldiers, Ironwood's troops, but there was one individual that caught his eye. In the midst of the Atlesians was a woman in Guardian armor, helping injured soldiers stay off their injuries. Jerloh noticed her as well.

"Aly? Aly!" the Terror Inheritor yelled, causing the woman to look up. Alex suddenly recognized her facial features, even though the last time he had seen them, they'd been on a seventeen-year-old girl. Jerloh rushed forward to embrace his sister.

"Oh, thank God, you're alive," Alyia breathed. "Are Lex and Marcia-"

"They're both fine," Jerloh nodded, "they're just helping out inside." The Bloodline pointed his thumb towards the academy. Alyia looked down guiltily. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Jerloh, I- I met Dad," the female Guardian murmured. "He- he was still alive... but the attack started and-" She trailed off and hugged her brother tightly. "We- We lost him all over again..."

"It's okay, Aly," Jerloh patted her back. Alex noticed the Terror Inheritor's face adopt an expression of renewed grief. Alex thought about announcing himself, but upon seeing the two siblings mourning together, he decided to just wait quietly.

* * *

Peleus looked over his shoulder at Eve. Ever since her fight with Enigma, the Bloodline had become eerily quiet. She seemed to be locked in deep thought.

"Captain," Peleus tapped Aegeus' shoulder. The Mistral Guardsman was seated in the Bullhead's co-pilot chair. "Can I ask you to take over for a while and keep our heading straight?"

"Of course, Senator," Aegeus nodded emphatically. "I'll call if anything comes up."

"Thank you, Captain," Peleus rose from his chair and walked softly towards the back of the dropship. He could feel the light swaying of the aircraft as it hit a small patch of turbulence. The Senator sat down across from the red-haired woman. "Eve, is something wrong? You've been exceptionally silent ever since we left Mistral."

"Don't concern yourself with it," Eve replied quietly, lifting her head to look at the Senator. "It's... a personal matter..."

"I see..." Peleus said. "Well, I can't force you to tell me what's bothering you, but if you want to talk, I can listen."

"Thank you," Eve answered after a short pause. "I will consider your offer..."

"That's all I ask," the Senator nodded kindly. Silence hung in the air between the two of them for several moments, with only small beeps bouncing off the bullhead's interior from the cockpit.

"So, where exactly are we headed?" Eve asked, breaking the tension.

"Ah, that," Peleus nodded and grabbed a rolled paper map from a pack that had been unceremoniously shoved into a corner of the dropship. "May I?" he gestured to the seat next to Eve. She slowly bobbed her head twice. The Senator sat beside the Bloodline and unrolled the map. "We are headed to the neighboring Kingdom of Vale via a route to the East. Normally, we would have taken a Westerly flight, but the Order's ships had that side of the city locked down, so we had to take the long way."

"So, we're taking a path past the Kingdom of Vacuo?" Eve pointed to the map.

"Yes, that is the intention anyway."

"You expect someone in Vale will be able to help you?"

"Ozpin," Peleus nodded. "If anyone will be capable of helping Mistral, it will be him." Eve nodded her understanding. "Eve, I... know that you probably don't wish to speak about your time in the Order, but do you recall a... 'person'... named 'Carnage'?" Eve flinched at the name.

"Yes... I remember him..." she answered. "Why do you ask?"

"He... He killed Thetis. That... monster... murdered my wife," Peleus put the map down on the floor and grasped his hands together tightly. "When the time comes, I want to be able to avenge her... and I was wondering if you had any knowledge of that thing..."

"Carnage is more machine than man," Eve answered. "His line is powered by blood-lust. With that metal shell around whatever's left of his body, you likely will not do much harm to him alone..."

"It doesn't matter," Peleus replied. "I will fight him and the rest of the Order to my last breath. For my people, and for Thetis. Does he have _any_ sort of weakness?"

"Agony is the one who crafted his body... and he is not one to accept flaws lightly..." Eve answered. "As far as I know, only brute strength will damage that shell."

"I see..." Peleus said with disappointment. "There has to be a way... _something_ nobody has thought of..." The Senator saw a small saddened smile pass over Eve's face. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No... you just sounded a lot like a pair of people I know..." Eve said.

"Your family?" Peleus inquired.

"Not... in the traditional sense..." Eve answered, shaking her blood-red hair back and forth. "In a way... they are my siblings... but at the same time, they really aren't... It's complicated..."

"I don't see why you'd think that," Peleus stated. "You may have people that you share blood with, but family are the people who truly care about you. They're the people that you love. It sounds like your siblings are just that." Eve looked down in thought, quietly processing the Senator's words. For the first time, Peleus saw an earnest smile cross Eve's face, if only for a moment.

"Thank you, Senator..." Eve said softly. "That... helps. More than you know."

* * *

Elise looked around at the expanse of gray ash-covered land around her. The smell of fresh decay assaulted her nose.

"Where am I?" she said aloud. Somehow, the voice that had greeted her could hear her when she spoke. A mountainous pile of rubble lay around her, consisting of polished black stone and clear crystals. "What happened here?"

 _ **Long ago, this land was my home.**_ _ **I**_ _ **t was**_ _ **once**_ _ **lush and plentiful...**_ _ **b**_ _ **ut, it was not meant to last...**_ _ **The creatures of Grimm invaded this land countless cycles ago,**_ _ **laying waste to our civilization..**_ _ **.**_ _ **My people constructed a great temple, home to a device that would allow us to save ourselves from the endless horde... but we were never able to use it properly.**_ _ **Only recently was someone able to use my peoples' greatest creation, and in the aftermath, the temple was deemed too dangerous and destroyed.**_ _ **Now the last mark of my people has faded from this world.**_

"I'm sorry to hear that," Elise said sadly. She could only imagine how beautiful the land had looked once. She caught sight of old stone foundations of what might have been homes surrounding the temple. "You said 'your people'. Were you their King?"

 _ **In a matter of speaking, yes... I was selected to lead in the waning days of the Kingdom... The High Priests of the time believed I was the only one capable of properly utilizing the temple's power to save us... As it turned out, all of us were wrong... I became one with the temple, but I saved no one... Now I can only hope to be free from this eternal life without rest...**_

"Can I help?" Elise asked. A feeling drifted through the air, as if the land itself was surprised at her question. Suddenly, a gentle breeze flowed across the stagnant gray land, and Elise heard the voice laugh.

 _ **You are truly a selfless being to offer a dead man assistance. Perhaps it was the Gods' will that you appeared here... Maybe this is a sign... First, a man from your world was the first to use the temple... then another of your world destroyed the temple's device, inadvertently preventing it from being misused... perhaps you, Elise, will be the one to free me...**_

"Wait, there were others from Earth here?" Elise asked. "Who were they?"

 _ **The first was Lem Cadellin, a father desperate to see his daughter once more... The next was a man born with no name, who held great confusion and pain in his heart... Like you, they both wielded great power. I believe you would know them as "Bloodlines". These men controlled wind and pandemonium... what is your power?**_

"I'm the first member of the Archangel Bloodline. Light is my element," Elise answered truthfully. "I guess the two before me were Vortex and Chaos?"

 _ **Indeed they were, but you need not worry about them. Lem Cadellin died on this very land, finding his peace before the end. The Nameless departed injured and angry, but also with a last gift from the temple. He too, will find his peace someday...**_

"If you did all that, then I really do have to help you," Elsie smiled into the air. "Someone who would give such tortured people chances at happiness deserves to find their own rest."

 _ **You truly are a unique being... To be happy for your enemies... Do you not hate them?**_

"That wouldn't be right," Elise shook her head. "Everyone has a reason they fight or kill... I- I honestly pity them more than I hate them... even if I can't agree with what they do..."

 _ **Hm. I see. Very well, Elise, I will accept your offer of help. But first, there is something I must show you.**_

A bright golden glow flowed across the towering pile of rubble, gathering into a single spot on a particularly large slab of smooth black stone. The light formed itself into a shining map.

 _ **This is Remnant. As of this moment, you are standing here.**_ A point on the map began to glow brightly. _**To find what you seek, I suggest searching the Kingdom of Vale, to the Southeast. This path will take you to the South, and then East to your destination.**_

"Thank you," Elise smiled softly. "And in exchange for this, you want me to free you?"

 _ **Yes. My life is still bound to one last fragment of the crystal that powered the temple... I would like for you to destroy it. That should release me from this existence...**_

Elise looked down as a nearly blinding shine released rays of light from somewhere within the stony rubble. She reached her hand into the rubble, retrieving a palm-sized shard of perfectly clear crystal. She would not have even known she was holding something, if not for the weight and slight distortion of light through the item.

"'Should'? You aren't sure?" Elise said worriedly. "What if it doesn't work?"

 _ **Then I will assume the Gods have something else in mind for me... I can only ask you to try and thank you for your kindness...**_

"Okay, then..." Elise clasped the crystal between her hands and gathered energy in her palms. "I hope this works..." She released a blast of light upon the crystal, causing the material to disintegrate into a fine dust. Silence hung in the air around her. "Did it work?"

 _ **Yes... I believe it did...**_ Elise turned to find a golden ghost of a young boy. He didn't look a day past his fifteenth birthday. His form began to waver and fade, but Elise could clearly make out a smile on his face. _**Thank you, Elise...**_

In a flash of light, the King vanished, leaving a patch of the gray land cleared of ash. Elise stood in the center of the cleared circle for several moments. She smiled up at the sky and flared her ability, taking one last look at the fading map.

"You're welcome," she whispered. A pair of glowing dove wings appeared at Elise's back, and with a single flap, she soared into the air. With her long blood-red hair flowing behind her, Elise flew off into the horizon.

* * *

"Ozpin, what exactly are you trying to say?" Ironwood asked as the Beacon headmaster paced around his ruined office.

"During the attack on Vale, Mr. Greene reported a woman wielding immense power that attacked both him and the Order," Ozpin explained. "She appeared fixated on acquiring a specific young woman who the report says also possessed powerful and unusual abilities."

"Do you think-"

"Yes," the headmaster cut off the General with a sharp nod. "I am fairly certain that this 'Shiro' is the one responsible for attacking three of our protected assets. She accidentally killed her first target, successfully drained her second, and then only partially absorbed the third..."

"That would make the girl she was after..."

"Correct..." Ozpin rubbed his temples. "I believe that our ability to be selective in our allies has been brought to an end... Call Mr. Greene and his friends... We have much to tell them."

* * *

Shiro kicked a glob of sand into the air as she trekked through the desert around her. Her expression rapidly shifted between snarling and smiling. Her anger at being so _exceedingly_ close to claiming her target had only grown, but when she thought about her ultimate victory, she couldn't help but smile.

Shiro stopped and flicked her tongue into the air, as if tasting it. A wide grin spread over her face as she detected an energy signature. It was different than the target she had almost gotten, but it was most certainly one of the people she was after.

"Well, I guess fate is still on my side after all," the pale woman laughed. "Here, I lost one Maiden, only to be placed right next to another. And this time, there won't be anything to stop me."

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **Well, today I finished the outline for Bloody Evolution. Barring having to split any chapters, we're looking at 47 chapters plus an epilogue.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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	32. Chapter 31

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 31**_

"Sir," Alex stepped into Ozpin's office, his eyebrows rising in surprise as the soldier noticed the room was quite filled. Ruby, Weiss, and Luna sat beside each other on a trio of chairs. Blake, Firo, and Dimitri leaned against the wall beside the entrance. Ryland and Yang occupied a space in the center of the office, both occasionally sweeping broken glass away with their feet. Jerloh and Marcia were sharing confused looks beside Ozpin's desk, Lex looking around at the room's ceiling. Even Cinder, Arthur, Emerald, Pyrrha, Anise and Winter were present, standing in various locations around the office while Ozpin and Ironwood stood beside the elevator at the back of the room with their arms crossed patiently.

"What is this about?" Alex asked. "It looks like you called everyone here."

"Due to the day's events..." Ozpin started, "General Ironwood and I have come to the conclusion that we require outside assistance, and everyone is this room is someone we believe we can trust, even the children. Before I begin to supply you with specifics, tell me, do you all know the 'Tale of the Four Seasons?'" The headmaster noticed the confused looks that the members of the EDC and Guardians adopted. "I thought not..." Ozpin closed his eyes for a moment.

"The story tells of an old man, a powerful wizard that wielded great power. This man spent centuries secluding himself away from the world, locking himself in a small home far away from civilization. He slowly became bitter and cold. However, one day, he met four young women, sisters on a journey together. The first, Winter, taught the old man to find serenity and peace. The second, Spring, revitalized the wizard's garden. Summer thawed his frozen heart, helping him embrace the world. And the final sister, Fall, showed him how to be grateful for all that he had. In return for their kindness and lessons, the old wizard granted each sister a great power of their own, so that they could continue to help those in need. When these newly created 'Maidens' finally passed, their powers would find another 'worthy' to weild them." The headmaster looked at the people in the room around him.

"It's a good story, Sir," Alex said after a short pause. "But, what does it have to do with today?"

"I think I see where this is going," Jerloh stated. "Back on Earth, we had some time to dig into the origin of Auras. We found old stories that talk about an 'Immortal'. This being is the one who apparently granted power to the first Reaper and Esprit, the only two lines capable of creating additional Bloodlines as they saw fit. I'm guessing, much like our Bloodlines, the Maidens and the old wizard were real people."

"How very perceptive of you," Ozpin nodded. "Indeed, that assumption is correct... the Maidens are quite real... And in addition to that... we believe you have already met someone wielding the power of not one, but two of them..."

"You mean that crazy woman that showed up during the attack," Ruby guessed.

"Yes. James and I have spoken with the remaining members of our group... and we have decided that we require your help..."

"So you... what? Want us to hunt down that pale woman and put a bullet through her?" Marcia asked.

"We haven't decided on the proper course of action yet," Ironwood answered. "But we have something we would like to try first..."

"Yes," Ozpin added, taking a tired sip of coffee from a mug that had been sitting on the edge of his desk. "And for this, we require some help from Arthur."

"From me?" The blond Guardian stood straighter as his name was uttered. "Why?"

"First, all of you should follow me," Ozpin ushered the large group into the elevator. He held a unique-looking card emblazoned with Beacon's emblem. The machine uttered a quick beep, and the box which held them all began to descend into the depths. The elevator made a quiet "bing" noise and came to a halt. Its doors slid open to reveal an expansive complex, dimly lit by lights mounted on the walls.

"All this was beneath the school?" Yang wondered aloud, both her and Ryland scanning the dark walls. Ozpin and Ironwood move to the front of their group, and began to lead them through the facility.

"Four years ago," the headmaster began, "one of the Maidens, the Maiden of Winter, was brutally murdered. Later that same year, the Maiden of Summer was also killed in her home, but unlike the previous victim, her body was completely drained of its aura. Then, three years ago, the Maiden of Fall was attacked in the lands North of Vale. We found her stripped of part of her power and in critical condition..."

"And since that 'Shiro' woman so eagerly broadcast that her power was to absorb others' abilities..." Jerloh said thoughtfully. He placed a reassuring hand on Lex's head as the little girl stuck closer to him within the dark hallway.

"Yes..." Ironwood answered. "We believe that Shiro is the one responsible for the attacks... and we also think that the girl you met, Melody, is the one who inherited the Maiden of Winter's power. I regret to say that none of us looking for the culprit were looking in remotely the correct places. We expected the perpetrator to be making moves quietly, which brought our suspicion to Miss Fall..."

"So _that's_ why you were trying to get Barnes to monitor me," Cinder said, a hint of anger seeping into her voice. "You still thought I might have been the one you were searching for."

"You have our apologies," Ozpin said, his tone suggesting that they drop the matter for now.

"So why have you brought us all down here?" Blake inquired. "If you only needed Arthur, why not just ask him?"

"Because," Ozpin answered solemnly, "as much as I hate to admit it, I am no longer the young man I once was, as are a great many of the organization I lead. Our duty is to protect the Maidens and all of Remnant from those who would seek to do them harm."

"Not to be an ass," Ryland narrowed his eyes, "but it sounds like you've kinda dropped the ball in that regard."

"Sadly, you would not be wrong..." the headmaster sighed. "In the last four years, we lost of three of the four Maidens, and did not even come close to finding the one responsible... It is a failure I am most ashamed of. But the point remains... there are too few of us left to effectively protect them now, let alone for the foreseeable future..."

"This is what you tried to recruit the General, Alex, and Ryland into before," Dimitri guessed.

"Yes," Ironwood nodded. "We were going to attempt to bring the EDC in to help us."

"But until that 'Shiro' woman showed up, you were trying to go about acquiring new members in secret," Luna finished the thought, to which the Atlesian General bobbed his head in affirmation.

"We've arrived," Ozpin said, causing the group to grind to a sudden halt. A massive pair of reinforced metal doors stood before them. "Before we step through this entryway, I have a question for each of you. Now that you know of what we do, will you help us? If not, I ask that you return to the elevator at once." Silence hung over the group for several moments. Alex suddenly took a step forward.

"May I answer your question with some of my own, Sir?" the blond soldier asked.

"You may," Ozpin nodded firmly.

"From what you've said so far, it sounds like you spread the Maidens out and secluded them, right?"

"That is correct."

"Then, knowing what you know about Earth, would you consider doing things differently if we helped you?"

"What?" the headmaster adopted a look of genuine confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I think Boss is trying to tell you that he thinks you're looking at the Maidens in the wrong light," Dimitri spoke up. "If we know that the Humans and Faunus of Remnant should be treated equally, what makes these four Maidens so different?"

"I think I see what he's getting at as well," Marcia cut in. "By isolating and keeping them away from the populace, you hide the Maidens from public knowledge, yes. But, what happens to the Maiden themselves? They're still human beings, and they're left vulnerable all on their own. I think Alex is suggesting you try to integrate them into society, instead of treating them like some sort of diseased rag. Especially if they have the power to do so much good."

"Barnes said it best," Cinder said, slightly glaring at Ozpin and Ironwood, "that you were becoming blind to the people that make up the larger picture..." The headmaster sat in stunned silence before chuckling to himself.

"I see. Instead of hiding them, you want to try getting the people to accept them. In hindsight, it seems like such a simple solution. The organization operated on the assumption that they would be feared for so long... Perhaps they _would_ be safe if they were loved by all... I will give your suggestion some thought, Mr. Greene. Can I assume that this means you have decided to join?"

"If you really try to give those girls a better life, then yes. I'll help you," Alex answered.

"Well, if the Boss is in, so am I," Dimitri grinned and stood at his friend's side.

"I'll help as well," Luna said, stepping forward and grasping Alex's hand. Firo didn't say anything, but she also took several steps forward to stand alongside Dimitri with a look of determination in her eyes. Team RWBY and Ryland were the next to move up, all ready to support Alex. Winter shared a glance with Anise, and the two also stepped forward. Arthur, Emerald, and Pyrrha followed shortly after. Only Cinder, Marcia, Jerloh, and Lex were left standing back slightly.

"To be clear," Cinder said, joining the others, much to Ozpin's surprise, "I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do and it's what Barnes would have wanted." Her glare at Ozpin clearly showed she had no love for the aging headmaster.

"I understand," Ozpin nodded. He turned his gaze to the final three people, the newest arrivals to Remnant. "And all of you?"

"There's still a lot of things we need to do back on Earth," Jerloh said. "We can help, but I'm not sure how long we'd be able to stay."

"If you're willing to deal with that, though," Marcia added, "then I'll gladly help Alex."

"I believe that can be arranged." Ironwood nodded.

"Then count us in," Jerloh smiled. "We'll help protect your world from the Order and Shiro in whatever way we can."

"Thank you," Ozpin bowed his head. "It eases my heart to know I have your assistance. Now then, Arthur, if you would..." The headmaster beckoned the young Guardian forward as the doors behind him ground open. They revealed a small room housing a series of metal pods. A young woman lay in one, unmoving with her eyes closed. "This is Amber, the Maiden of Fall. She's been like this ever since she was attacked. We've been keeping her alive with state-of-the-art technology... but I thought that perhaps our machines aren't the answer in this case... Arthur, you possess a Secondary Ability of regeneration, yes?"

"Yes, Professor," Arthur nodded, beginning to sense what the headmaster wanted him to do.

"As you all know, the auras of the people of Remnant grant us accelerated healing, but not on the same level as Arthur's ability. During the events of two years ago, there were reports of him even healing otherwise fatal injuries."

"That's because I need to control it directly," Arthur explained. "If I can't concentrate, healing more complex or larger injuries becomes almost impossible."

"Then it is good that there should not be anyone to disturb you here," Ozpin reached out and placed a hand on the young Guardian's shoulder. "Arthur... I would like you to try to heal Amber."

* * *

"Peleus," Eve spoke softly, but with a dark look on her face. "Do you feel that?"

"What?" the Senator lifted his head from the old map he was using to chart their course across Vacuo. They arrived in the airspace above the neighboring Kingdom the night before. "No, I don't feel a thing, why?"

"There's this..." Eve struggled to find the right words, " _foul_ feeling in the air." She closed her eyes, and pointed to one side of the dropship. "In that direction."

"I'll tell Captain Aegeus that we should probably avoid that at all costs, then," Peleus said.

"No, we have to go towards it... even though it seems like a foolish plan," Eve replied adamantly.

"Why?" Peleus set the map down fully, offering the red-haired woman his full attention.

"Because I can sense three other presences aside from the one dangerous one... and two of them are people I know."

* * *

"Cherri?" Ignis shook the Maiden lightly.

"Wha-!?" she let out a small shriek and jumped from her slumped position in their transport's pilot chair. "Oh, Ryan. Did you need something? Are your injuries acting up?"

"Er, no," the Bloodline replied. "I was just going to suggest you find a better place to sleep. I know from experience that sleeping upright like that isn't comfortable."

"Oh..." Cherri blushed lightly. "Um... Thank you."

"You don't have to," Ryan waved his hand dismissively. "It's only a suggestion."

"Hey," Cherri said, noticing an odd look on the ex-Lord's face. "Is something wrong?"

"There's a strange feeling floating around, but I don't think-"

A blast suddenly rocked their transport, ripping an engine from the craft's side. The old bullhead began to spiral down towards the vast expanse of sand beneath them. Cherri and Ignis were thrown about the cabin of the aircraft as it left a trail of disturbed sand and burning debris in its wake.

"Cherri! Are you alright?" Ryan yelled as smoke and sparks filled his vision.

"Y-yeah," the Maiden's voice replied shakily. "H-hold on, I'll open the side hatch." There was a beep, and the flank of the old bullhead slid partially open before falling off completely into the sand. Both Maiden and Bloodline stepped out into the desert night. "Ryan, your shoulder!"

"Hm?" the ex-Lord asked, looking at his left arm. It took him a moment to realize it had been dislocated. "Oh." With one fluid motion, he pushed the bone back into its proper place and rolled the arm a few times. Cherri visibly cringed beside him. "What?"

"How can you just _do_ that? It's kinda freaky," the Maiden said.

"Years of practice," he answered.

"Ugh." Cherri moved to inspect the bullhead, but suddenly found Ryan gripping her arm.

"We're not alone," the Bloodline glared into the darkness. Cherri squinted into the night, quickly catching sight of a Human woman walking towards them. The Maiden could make out bright white skin and hair. The woman stopped around twenty meters from them, a wide grin spread across her face.

"Found you."

* * *

Ozpin watched Arthur work nervously from several feet away. He couldn't deny that this was a massive risk. If his gamble failed and the young Guardian could not heal Amber, then the Maiden would most likely die shortly after. Light flowed between Arthur and the young woman in the now-opened pod. The Guardian had placed his hand across the Maiden's forehead and closed his eyes in concentration.

"This isn't working," Ironwood said quietly as to not disturb Arthur. The others in the large group that had been brought down had spread out. Some wore looks of worry and watched the Guardian tend to the Maiden, but most still had pain and sorrow clearly printed across their faces. Ozpin could understand their grief, he'd lost more than a few friends of his own over the years, as well as seen his fair share of destruction and death.

A series of violent coughs suddenly caught everyone's attention. Ozpin's head whipped around in time to see Amber weakly open her eyes. Arthur sat on the ground in front of the pod, looking utterly exhausted. The Maiden looked surprised at all the faces around her in confusion.

"Welcome back, Maiden," Ironwood greeted. "You've been asleep for a long time, so take things slow. If you need anything, just let us know." Amber still seemed to being trying to process the unfamiliar faces in the room.

"Um..." she croaked out, "could I... get some water?"

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **I was worried about this chapter. I think it turned out okay, but what do you all think?**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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	33. Chapter 32

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 32**_

"Cherri! Get-" Ignis yelled before being thrown into the air by a blast of wind that tore through the moonlit dunes around them. He fell back to the ground with a hard thud. Shiro flashed past the Bloodline, kicking up dust as she rushed towards Cherri. The Maiden waved her hand upwards, creating a wall of thorny cactus-like plants between her and her assailant.

"That's not going to stop m-" the pale woman started. Her sentence was cut short as she felt something sharp dig into her leg and trip her into the sand. Shiro rolled onto her back and sent a blast of fire searing towards Ignis as he disentangled his whip-blade from her ankle. The ghostly woman's injuries fully sealed themselves as the Bloodline was engulfed in a ball of flames.

"It seems the old Summer Maiden's powers are quite effective at removing annoyances," Shiro smiled to herself. Her grin faded as she felt a surge of energy come from within the roaring inferno she had thrown at Ignis. The flames began to flow inwards, sucked towards the Bloodline's silhouette among the burning glow.

Cherri felt the air around them grow increasingly uncomfortable, quickly bypassing the temperatures that seared the landscape during the day. Ignis stepped out of the embers of Shiro's attack, the sand at his feet turning to molten glass. His blade glowed as the metal heated in his hand. Shiro's right eye visibly twitched.

"Another one!? Did I miss a memo or something?" the pale woman cried in annoyance. "Fine, no point in waiting. You withstood a Maiden's flames, so that means your power _must_ be worth taking." Shiro rushed forward and delivered a leaping kick to the side of Ignis' head, sending the fiery Bloodline skidding down the side of a dune. Ryan replied with a swing of his blade. The weapon slashed by Shiro's midsection, leaving a cauterized trail in its wake. He snarled as the wound quickly closed itself.

Shiro took the opportunity to try to leap onto the downed Bloodline, but a powerful kick to her chest sent her flying back into the sand. Thick roots sprouted from under the dunes, coiling around Shiro's body. Cherri stood at the top of the sandy hill, panting from the heat around them.

"Well," the pale woman said nonchalantly, "I guess I have to take this a little more seriously." A blast of wind and flame sent Cherri's wooden binds flying like a grenade blast. The Maiden ducked to avoid being impaled by a particularly large piece of shrapnel. Smaller fragments bounced of Ignis' armor and immolated on the spot. Shiro waved her hand towards Cherri, causing a box of light to appear around the Maiden of Spring.

"Wha- What is this!?" Cherri smacked the bottoms of her fists against the transparent enclosure.

"Drained that one up from a nomad I met on my way here," Shiro shrugged and dodged a slash from Ryan's weapon. "I thought it might prove useful. His screams were so cute."

"You- You're a monster!" Cherri yelled, muffled by the box.

"Thank you," Shiro smiled, creating a small shield of the hardened light to block a stab from Ignis. She sent the Bloodline flying with a gust of wind, the ex-Lord snarling angrily as he picked himself up off the ground. "Still, you're not one to be talking, Miss Spring Maiden. Just look at how you and the others were treated. All alone and locked up. You know, the Summer Maiden was so happy to see another person after so long, she didn't even know what hit her until it was too late." Shiro laughed.

"That- That isn't true," Cherri said, falling to her knees. "Our powers are just too dangerous to-

"Is it?" Shiro grinned at her as she managed to catch Ignis in another box of light. "The truth is, _you're_ a monster, just like me. I'd say it's safe to group your fiery friend over there into that category too." Flames engulfed the inside of Ryan's box as he attempted to break free. "Hm, now how to drain you both safely... Maybe I should make the boxes smaller and break your limbs first?" Ignis' fists and blade smashed into the side of his cage. Cherri could hear his bones cracking even through the box.

"Well, that might work for your friend, Maiden, but you can probably heal just as fast as I can. So, I'm going to deal with him first so that he's out of the way, sound good? Good," Shiro cocked her head and smiled sweetly.

"Leave him alone!" Cherri yelled as she watched helplessly. Ignis' box began to shrink in volume, slowly beginning to crush him. She could hear sickening cracks. "Ryan!" Cherri redoubled her efforts of hitting the box. Ignis' burning glow faded from his weapon and armor. Shiro released him from the box, unceremoniously dropping the Bloodline face-first into the sand. Blood seeped into the desert through cracks in the ex-Lord's battered armor.

"If you're still able to talk," Shiro knelt beside the crippled Ignis, "you should say your goodbyes to the Maiden." Ryan glared at her. "No? Okay then, let's get start-" The pale woman was cut off as an orb of blood-red energy slammed into her side. She had been so preoccupied, she hadn't noticed new energy signatures approaching.

A Bullhead screamed overhead, its side hatch opened with a red-haired woman hanging out the side. The transport circled to level its nose-mounted gun at Shiro and opened fire. The pale woman summoned a thick wall of light to protect herself, the high-caliber rounds impacting harmlessly against the surface. Two figures dropped from the Bullhead, the redheaded woman and a man in wearing the colors of a Mistral soldier.

"Aegeus! Get those two to safety!" Eve commanded. "I'll deal with her!"

"You got it!" the Mistral soldier responded readily. Shiro unleashed twin blasts of flame from her hands, one of which impacted the side of the Bullhead, and sent the craft towards the ground. The pale woman vaguely registered that the craft's pilot must be skilled, since the transport landed relatively unharmed.

Shiro's second fireball had been intended for Eve, but the ex-Lord jumped into the air above the projectile with a pair of owl's wings made of transparent blood-red energy. A blast of sand was sent high into the air as Shiro's attack smashed into a nearby dune.

The pale woman became aware of Captain Aegeus smashing the butt of his rifle into the box of light surrounding Cherri. With her concentration split in so many ways, Shiro was having difficultly maintaining the Maiden's enclosure. Slowly, but surely, cracks were beginning to appear on the surface of the box.

"No!" Shiro yelled, slashing her hand towards Aegeus. A concentrated blast of wind slammed into the soldier, leaving a bloody slash across his armor. With her attention elsewhere, Eve took advantage of Shiro's opening to fire a spear of red energy at the pale woman. The projectile buried itself through Shiro's right shoulder and dissipated. A small dark splotch appeared on the pale woman's clothes before the wound sealed itself.

Shiro jumped to avoid an icy javelin, courtesy of Peleus, who had extracted himself from the crashed Bullhead. The Senator pulled a small handgun from his waist and opened fire on the pale woman. Shiro suddenly sensed a _third_ powerful energy source closing on the area. Just what the hell were these people!? And why did they keep getting in her way!? A grimace of anger flashed across her face for a split second, before quickly returning to her regular smile. A circular barrier of light sprung to life around the pale woman, causing both bullets and energy to deflect harmlessly. Cherri's box suddenly vanished, dropping the Maiden into the sand.

"Fine," Shiro said through a strained smile. "I'll just get the Maiden when she's alone. Let's see how many of you can survive this." The pale woman slammed her foot into the ground and began to run, her barrier moving with her. Shiro threw several slashes of air behind her. Two attacks struck Eve, one of which cut through her left wing, while the other left a gash across her chest. Peleus ducked to avoid having his head removed.

Cherri rolled down the side of a dune, desperately working her way towards Ryan's unmoving form. She couldn't see Shiro any more, the pale woman had seemingly vanished into the desert night. The ground beneath them began to shake violently, the sand shifting as it fell down into an unknown chasm. Cherri grabbed tightly onto the injured Bloodline of Fire as a massive hole burst open beneath them. The Maiden, Ignis, Eve, Peleus, and Aegeus all began to fall. A sudden stop was waiting for them, as they all came crashing down into the sand that had fallen with them.

"Ryan!" Cherri yelled, frantically beginning to heal the Bloodline with her power. Broken bones and open wounds knitted back together before the Maiden's eyes as she worked her magic. Ignis let out a sand-filled cough. "You're okay..." Cherri breathed.

"What... happened?" Ryan choked out. "I thought... I sensed..."

"Hello to you too, Ignis," Eve greeted, deactivating her ability as she pulled herself out from a pile of sand. She reached back to yank Peleus out as well.

"Despair," the ex-Lord nodded. "I suppose I should be grateful for the rescue..."

"Thank us once we're out of this hole... Captain!" Eve called out into the cavern they had fallen into.

"Captain Aegeus!" Peleus joined the female Bloodline, "Report!"

"I'm here!" the Mistral soldier yelled from somewhere out of sight. "Everyone alright?"

"Both Eve and I are fine," Peleus answered. He turned to Cherri and Ryan shortly after. "How about both of you?" He extended a hand to each of them. "Peleus Nikos. I assume you are Eve's friends?"

"Who?" Cherri asked.

"I am," Ryan nodded. "Though I'd call us old allies, not friends..."

"I see," the Senator replied. "Which means that there is still somebody missing." He turned his attention to Cherri. "If you aren't one of Eve's friends, may I inquire who you are?"

"I'm Cherri," the Maiden answered. "Ryan showed up near my home around six weeks ago, and I've been with him ever since."

"Hm," Peleus said. "Captain! Do you need some help?"

"Just having some trouble getting myself out of this sand, Sir!" Aegeus' voice answered. "I can-" A loud skittering sound echoed off the walls. "Shit! Sir, get out! It's a nes-" The soldier let out a choked scream of pain and fell silent.

"What the hell?" Ryan weakly pushed himself up, grabbing his sword out of the sand. Peleus and Eve scanned the darkness of the cavern. Multitudes of red eyes lit up around the four Humans, just within their field of vision. Peleus summoned a spear and shield of ice and stood at the ready.

"It's a Deathstalker nest!" the Senator yelled. "We need a way out!" A surge of skittering scorpion Grimm crashed forth from the darkness. The beasts ranged in size and age, but Peleus could clearly pick out some Grimm with stingers over a meter long. Cherri grabbed Ignis by the arm and pulled him with her towards the Senator and Eve. The Grimm suddenly came to a halt and looked around, searching for the prey that had just been before them.

"They just stopped?" Eve asked, keeping her clawed gauntlets at the ready. "Why?"

"Er, that would be because of me," Cherri rose her hand. "Grimm can't see me or people standing close."

"What?" Peleus looked positively shocked. 'I've never heard of a semblance like that..." His head whipped around to warily eye a man-sized Deathstalker that began to crawl up the wall of the cavern.

"It's..." Cherri hesitated. "That's because..."

"Are you sure you should be telling people about your ability?" Ryan asked, angling his blade at a particularly large Grimm as it passed within twenty feet of them. The Bloodline's stance relaxed once the creature had gone its own way.

"I-" Cherri looked nervously at Peleus and Eve. The Maiden could probably trust the other Bloodline, since she was Ryan's friend... but, when she looked at Peleus, Shiro's voice repeated the word "monster" in her head. "N-nevermind. Forget I said anything, please."

"We've got more pressing matters than 'how'," Eve cut in before the conversation could continue. "We need a way out of this nest."

"So these are Grimm, right Cherri?" Ignis asked. "Do they have some sort of weakness we can exploit?"

"If they can't see us, why not just kill them all?" Eve suggested.

"If we cause a panic, they might trample us," Peleus answered. "And someone could step outside of Miss Cherri's protection and get swarmed."

"What about light?" Cherri suggested. "These Grimm probably spend most of their time underground, so we might be able to chase them off with some bright light..."

"It might work," Ryan replied, "but there's a problem. Unless one of you has the ability to emit something bright, we're out of luck. Fighting with that pale woman drained my power completely." As if to support his point, the Bloodline of Flame staggered on his feet. Cherri grabbed his arm to steady him.

"We could wait until sunrise..." Peleus suggested weakly. "The hole we fell through in the roof of the cave might let enough light in..."

"That's a lot of time to wait for a 'maybe' and hope nothing else happens," Eve said, staring at the hole in the ceiling. Suddenly a silhouette of a person, backlit by the light of the moon, appeared to stare down the hole. Eve and the others tensed. Had that pale woman come back?

"Hey!" the outline called down to them. "Ryan! Eve!" The two Bloodlines visibly relaxed as they recognized the voice.

"Elise!?" Eve shouted. The Deathstalkers scurried around in confusion, searching for the source of the noise. "Wait, this is perfect. Elise, can you flood this cavern with as much light as possible?" Eve was careful to keep her voice quieter, as to not disturb the sea of Grimm around them.

"Sure, just let me get a rope down to you guys first." Elise's silhouette vanished for a moment before reappearing. She tossed a sturdy-looking line down into the cavern. "I secured it to that aircraft wreck, so you should be good. Ready?"

"Peleus, you go first," Eve said. "Cherri, you go after him. Then Ryan, then I'll follow." The others nodded their heads in agreement. The Senator grabbed the rope with his hands. "Now, Elise!"

Eve's "sister" flared a blinding orb of light to life and shined it down into the cavern. The Deathstalkers squealed in pain at the sudden brightness, covering their eyes with their claws and skittering deeper into the darkness. Peleus began to climb, quickly pulling himself out of the cave. As planned, Cherri followed, joining the Senator on the moonlit sands above. Then, the two Bloodlines extracted themselves with no trouble. The five Humans stared back down into the hole as the Elise extinguished the light and the Grimm began to move about again.

Elise's first action was to throw her arms around Eve, wrapping her "sister" in a warm hug. Peleus suddenly became puzzled at how Eve could doubt that Elise was her sister in any way. The two of them had nearly identical features: long, straight blood-red hair, sharp emerald-green eyes, and a spattering of freckles. The only real difference between them seemed to be maybe two years of age.

"Found... targets..." a soft voice whispered painfully. The group whirled around to find Enigma standing a short distance away. Her expressionless helmet was pointed directly at them. Bladed claws poked out from the cloth of her armor. Eve and Elise both dropped into readied stances, the former drawing a spear and buckler from her back. Ryan stepped in front of Cherri and drew his blade.

"Out of the frying pan..." the Bloodline of Flame breathed.

* * *

 _How dare you and that insufferable brat defy me like this! You arrogant, worthless, good-for-nothing-_ The woman's voice in Chaos' head ranted on and on, having undone whatever the small boy that also occupied the ex-Lord's brain had done to silence her temporarily. Still, Chaos wasn't paying her much mind. Instead, his thoughts continuously puzzled over a single statement.

 _The reason that the boy and I look so similar is because he is me..._ Chaos thought to himself. What did the boy, who Melody had taken to calling "Mini-Chess" or "Mini" for short- What had he meant with that statement? Was it just about the appearance he was using? It was undoubtedly a young Chaos, but was there more to it than that?

"Hey, Chess?" Melody shook the ex-Lord from his thoughts gently and sat down beside him on the floor. Rain seeped in through cracks in the walls and ceilings of the apartment complex in Mountain Glenn where the two had been hiding out. They'd returned earlier the day before, but had neither a destination or the desire to walk out into the torrential downpour that had swept over Vale. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah..." Chaos nodded slowly. It had been an extremely odd three days for the Bloodline. He'd gone from yelling at Melody, to saving her, and now was afraid of leaving her alone. To say the least, he had a bizarre mixture of emotions floating around in his chest. Furthermore, despite being with Melody again, the Bloodline's powers had not disappeared. It was strange to Chaos, that he had the power to leave her, but found himself unable to.

"Is Mini having trouble with keeping that other voice busy?" Melody asked, tilting her head worriedly. Chaos wasn't sure why he'd told her about the voices, but since she had seen "Mini-Chess", she had seemed to find the notion of a second entity floating around in his head easier to accept. Melody placed a hand softly on Chaos' knee.

 _I am attempting to handle it._ Mini-Chess' voice said. _Of course, she is being uncooperative. Don not worry yourselves with it, I will quiet her eventually._

"Okay, just be safe," Melody said with a small smile.

 _Your worry is unnecessary, but thank you._ Melody sat straighter and noticed Chaos giving her an odd look.

"What?" she asked. Chaos paused for several long moments, trying to phrase a question.

"Why?" he finally asked. "I've been wondering for a while... Why are you still here? After I've given you every chance and reason to leave, why didn't you?" Melody stared at him. The Bloodline's tone was exceptionally earnest and soft... perhaps even a little sad.

"Because you're my friend," Melody said. "You- You're the first person who didn't treat me like some sort of monster..." The silver-haired girl edged slightly closer to the ex-Lord for warmth as frigid winds lightly rocked the apartment complex. "How did you deal with it? When you got your powers?"

"I would be lying if I said our circumstances were the same," Chaos replied, steeling himself to reveal yet more information to Melody. "If you haven't realized it yet, this world is not my birthplace." Upon seeing Melody's befuddled expression, Chaos began to explain Earth and the Auras that lived there. Slowly, the silver-haired girl nodded her head.

"So, you know what it's like... to not be wanted by anyone because you're different?" she asked.

"In a way, I suppose..." Chaos replied. "No one in the Order ever tried to chase me out before... but... it was pretty obvious there were members who did not want me there. At the time, though, I didn't care about being alone." He stared down at his feet. "I don't understand. It's my past, but it feels like I'm looking back on somebody else's life."

"Maybe because you're trying to become a better person?" Melody said.

"That's your doing," Chaos replied. "Before, I wouldn't have given a second thought to anything I did... I would have just... moved on..."

"Do... you wish you could forget?" Melody asked after a long pause. "If you could erase your old memories, would you?"

"Yes," Chaos answered, looking at the floor. "Yes, I would..."

"Me too," the silver-haired girl said sadly. "I- I wish I could forget-"

* * *

"Come on, Mel!" a teenage girl with curly golden hair beckoned for Melody to follow her. Another girl, with light brown hair, like Melody's, and glasses brought up the rear, taking in the outside world. Melody stumbled over a twisted tree root, the bespectacled girl, her sister, catching her.

"Thanks, Aria," Melody said.

"What kind of big sister would I be if I just let you eat dirt?" Aria asked with a smile, brushing a strand of her shoulder-length hair out of her eyes. "Let's keep going before Gyllene gets herself eaten by an Ursa."

The pair of sisters followed their bouncy childhood friend through the woods around their hometown, a small frontier settlement several hundred miles North of Vale. Technically, the trio of girls should never have ventured beyond the wall, but what the adults didn't know wouldn't hurt them. The friends enjoyed frequent visits to the top of a hill around half a mile from their home, where they would often gaze at the clouds. There were Grimm in the area, of course, but it was nothing that the fourteen-year-old Melody and her companions couldn't avoid.

"Come on, slowpokes!" Gyllene shouted as she began to climb the hill they always visited. "We're burning sunshine!"

"We're coming!" Melody yelled back happily. She and Aria began to work their way towards their friend. After reaching the peak of the hill, the trio laid down in the grass, soft breezes caressing their faces.

"Look at that one," Gyllene said, pointing to a cloud. "Doesn't it look kinda like Mrs. Verde?"

"The bakery lady?" Melody inquired, squinting at the offending puff of vapor. "Eh... a little."

"So, Ari," Gyllene rolled onto her side. "You excited?"

"For what?" Melody's sister asked.

"Duh, Huntress training? At _Beacon_ Academy? You start in a couple months? Any of this ringing bells?" the golden-haired girl asked.

"Oh, yeah..." Aria said. "To be honest, I'm more nervous than anything... and it doesn't feel right to just leave you both here."

"Then you'd better kick so much ass that people quit and make it easier for us to get in in three years," Gyllene grinned. "Right, Mel?"

"Right," Melody nodded, her light brown hair picking up a few leaves from the ground. "Then we can go help people together!"

"You're still holding onto that, huh?" Aria asked kindly.

"Yup," Melody answered. "It'll take a while, but once we all make it, we-" Melody suddenly contorted in pain as her veins suddenly felt like they had been filled with ice.

"Mel!" Gyllene jumped to her feet and shook her friend frantically. "Mel, what's wrong!"

"Melody!" Aria held her sister as she flailed and let out a scream. Before their very eyes, Melody's long hair began to change into a radiant silver hue.

 _You are worthy._ An old man's voice spoke three words in Melody's head, but she was in too much pain to fully register it. Melody's spasms subsided. She blinked dumbly at the sky, her sister and best friend's faces hovering worriedly over her.

"Melody! Are you okay?" Aria grabbed her sister by the shoulders.

"What happened to her hair?" Gyllene asked in befuddlement. Her friend's long light-brown locks had been completely changed to a glistening silver.

"That doesn't matter!" Aria said, continuing to shake her sister. Melody let out a soft groan.

"Every- Everything hurts..." the now-silver-haired girl mumbled. "What- What happened?"

"We don't know," Gyllene answered. "You just sorta... collapsed and started freaking out..."

"I- I did?" Melody placed a hand on her forehead. Her palm felt cold to the touch. The three girls' head whipped towards the woods as a loud howl drifted through the trees. More calls joined the first.

"Beowolves," Aria said. "We need to get out of here."

"No kidding," Gyllene replied. "Let's cut through the Southern clearing, we'll get home faster."

"Right. Melody, can you stand?" Aria helped her sister sit up.

"I- I think so..." Melody answered dizzily. Aria pulled her to her feet, and the trio of girls made a break for home. Twigs cracked underneath their feet, but they soon realized that there was far too much noise for it to just be them. Melody's eyes widened in horror as she caught sight of a pack of Beowolves chasing them down.

"Keep running!" Gyllene shouted. Being the most athletic of their trio, the golden-haired Gyllene kept a decent lead on her friends as they sprinted towards their town. Suddenly, a Beowolf pounced from the side, grabbing Gyllene with its jaws.

"GYLLENE!" Melody screamed as her best friend hung limply in the creature's mouth. A look of shock was frozen on her face. She tried to stop, but Aria kept pushing her to run. The sisters left a trail of tears in their wake, having no other choice but to leave their friend's body for the Grimm.

Melody's vision blurred as tears filled her eyes. She suddenly felt herself fall forward as her foot caught on the same root she had tripped on before. Aria ran several paces further before realizing her sister wasn't beside her anymore. She stopped and turned. A dark form emerged from the trees behind her. Melody watched helplessly as the Alpha Beowolf slashed her sister with its claws.

"Aria!" Melody cried and struggled to disentangle her foot from the tree root. The Alpha continued to maul her sister. Then, just as Melody rose and ran forward, the Beowolf stopped. It looked at the spot where Aria lay bleeding, her glasses shattered and bent. It searched and scanned as if it could not see the dying girl. After a moment, it seemed to give up and loped back into the trees.

Melody rushed to her sister's side and held her. The silver-haired girl called her name over and over, but Aria remained limp and lifeless. It took Melody a moment to process that the Beowolf had broken her sister's neck with its powerful swings. She buried her face in her sister's chest, tears streaming forth without end.

"WHY!?" Melody screamed at the sky. "WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE LEFT!?"

* * *

Melody walked back towards her town with a lifeless expression on her face. Aria's body had proven too heavy for her to lift. Her sister's blood had seeped deep into her clothes. Without thinking, she limped towards the main gate of town. As the guard at the entrance saw her, Melody collapsed from exhaustion onto the ground.

The next thing she knew, Melody was laying in her bed. Frightening sounds filled her ears. People yelling. Gunfire. She was able to pick out her mother's voice shouting, but not the words. Melody weakly pushed the bed's covers off her body and pressed her feet against the cold floor. She vaguely noticed that her clothes had been changed. The girl picked her way towards her mother's angered voice.

"-lutely refuse!" Melody's mother screeched. "She is a child!"

"She's cursed! What else could it be!?" another voice yelled in response. Melody's heart dropped. It was Gyllene's mother.

"M-mom?" Melody said hesitantly, stepping out to find her mother facing down a terrifying mod of their neighbors.

"There she is! The demon who killed my daughter!" Gyllene's mother screamed and pointed at Melody. There was a madness to the woman's eyes that the girl had never seen.

"Mom, what's happening?" Melody squeaked.

"Grimm are attacking the town," her mother replied.

"Because of her!" Gyllene's mother yelled. The crowd behind her made sounds of affirmation. "She disappears with her sister and my daughter, returns alone with recolored hair. She has either been cursed or is a witch!"

"Listen to yourselves!" Melody's mother shrieked. "Blaming a young girl because you're afraid! Melody has nothing to-" A single gunshot rang out nearby, and Melody saw her parent crumple to the ground. A man stepped out from the mob with a smoking rifle in his hands. The crowd descended on her, roughly dragging Melody towards the main gate.

"Return the cursed child to the Grimm!" Gyllene's mother screeched. Melody couldn't process what was happening as she was thrown over the side of the wall around her town, landing hard on the dirt ground. Red eyes of Grimm were everywhere around her. Beowolves, Ursas, Boarbatusks, and every other nightmarish horror that she had heard about. The horde surged forward towards the town. Melody covered her head with her arms and waited for the end. An Ursa's foot came careening forward and struck the girl in the head, sending her sliding out of the way of the rest of the swarm. Melody's vision was consumed by darkness.

When Melody had regained consciousness, there was nothing left of her home. The gates lay bettered and bent over thirty feet from the entrance. Bloody stains and drag marks littered the ground, evidence of the Grimm dragging bodies away to feed. Melody limply walked home, only to find her house a half-collapsed ruin. She curled up on the floor of her room and cried, tears leaving dark spots on the dust-covered carpet.

For the next few days, Melody scavenged what she could from her home and the surrounding buildings. Every hour or so, she'd yell out the names of anyone she could think of. Eventually, she even started screaming the names of her neighbors' pets, hoping that _anything_ had survived. As it turned out, no one ever answered.

Melody slowly came to the realization that there was nothing for her here. She packed as many bags as she could carry with clothes and supplies. As she walked down the dirt road out of town, she threw one last desperate look over her shoulder.

Then, Melody walked, and kept on walking. With no goal or destination in mind, Melody wandered aimlessly. Days became weeks, weeks became months, and months very quickly turned into four years. Melody didn't spend all of that time alone, but inevitably, people turned against her. The fact that Grimm avoided her frightened them. They'd curse her and throw things. She'd, more than once, had to avoid bullets. Over time, she learned to live off the land. Her bags slowly broke into useless pieces of leather and cloth, eventually leaving her with just one, a small satchel Aria had gotten her.

Then, one day, Melody had come across an old mining town. Desperate for supplies or companionship of any kind, she had ventured into the seemingly abandoned town. She quickly regretted it, as the town was littered with bodies. Still, she was running low on food and water, so she continued. Sudden sounds of gunfire caught her attention, and she rushed towards the city hall to investigate. Upon cracking the door open, she saw a boy, not much older than her. His hair was an unnaturally bright white, he had pale skin, and blood-red eyes that scanned the room. Shadowy blades flicked around him. She caught sight of a black wolf beside the boy, which vanished into thin air. Was that a Grimm!? A sudden excitement built up in Melody's chest. This boy, he was like her! She threw caution to the wind, she'd found somebody who might understand! She pushed the doors open.

"Um... Excuse me..."

* * *

Melody shook and held Chaos' arm tightly. After she had said she wished she could forget her past, she'd fallen silent. Tears streamed down her face. The ex-Lord saw many emotions cross over her face, pain and sorrow being the most evident. He wasn't sure what was driving him, but the Bloodline did something he had never tried before. He took his arms and put them around Melody's shoulders.

"Ch-Chess?" Melody squeaked out quietly between sobs.

"I'd like to change my answer," Chaos said. "I wouldn't give up my past. My experiences are what make me what I am, for better or for worse. And... without my past," a hint of color tinged the Bloodline's pale cheeks, "I probably would never have met you. I wouldn't have a name. I wouldn't have found a person that actually cares that I exist."

"Chess..."

"So... I guess what I'm trying to say... is... Thank you. Thank you, Melody."

"You-" Melody trailed off. She grabbed Chaos' chest and began to cry into him. "You said my name... for the first time..." The pair sat there together for several long minutes, Melody slowly calming down and readopting her usual personality. "You know..." she sniffed and wiped the corner of her eye, "you're terrible at hugging..."

"I'll work on it."

"I'll be sure to teach you," Melody whispered, leaning into the Bloodline once more. Before he knew it, Chaos was laying on his back, staring up at the ceiling while Melody slept on his shoulder.

 _How adorable._ The woman's voice sneered. _How_ _ **worthless**_ _._

 _Get the hell out._ Chaos thought in reply.

 _No. You clearly still need "Mommy" to hold your hand. This girl should have died long ago! She is vulnerable, kill her now!_ The woman snarled. Chaos closed his eyes and concentrated.

* * *

The Bloodline found himself standing in a dark-gray void with no apparent walls, floor, ceiling, or end. The only other thing in the void was a woman. Much like Chaos, she had red eyes, pale skin, and white hair.

"So, you've decided to speak to me like this?" the woman smiled. "All the other Bloodlines apparently do this so that they can speak face-to-face with their dearly departed. Did you miss 'Mommy' that much?" Chaos didn't respond at first, instead he waved his hand and black chains suddenly wrapped themselves around the woman. "What are you doing!?" Chaos wasn't sure how he was doing this, but the actions felt natural, as if he'd known his whole life.

"Listen, _Mother_ ," Chaos flashed forward so he was inches from his parent's face. "This is my body. My mind. And no washed-up has-been hag is going to control any of it!" Shadowy blades burst to life at Chaos' sides. A maddened smile graced his lips, and he laughed. He dug one of the dark spikes into his mother's arm, another into her leg. He was so filled with elation that-

Chaos dropped his arm, and the blades disappeared. His crazed grin faded. What on Earth was he doing?

"What? Not going to kill me a second time?" his mother sneered. "When you did it the first time, back when I was still flesh and blood, I thought you might actually have potential." Chaos did not respond, and simply turned around and began to walk away. "Where are you going!? Release me!" Shadows began to form into a complex safe-like prison around her. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

"What's right," Chaos replied without turning. "I won't kill you. Instead, I think I have a more appropriate punishment. I'm going to take this power that I inherited from you, and I'm going to use it in the exact opposite way you taught me."

"Do you fancy yourself some kind of hero, you filthy brat!?"

"Nah," Chaos turned to her, a calm clear smile on his face. His image began to fade as he withdrew from this part of his mind "I'm never going to be a hero, but at least found someone I want to protect. See you around, _Mother_ , hope you enjoy your new home."

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **So, uh, yeah. Is this long enough yet? I literally wrote this in** **six** **hours, and I love** **how it turned out** **.** **I actually debated splitting this chapter around the 4k word mark, but then ultimately decided to keep it as a single chapter.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

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	34. Chapter 33

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 33**_

Eve stepped parried a strike from Enigma that had been intended for Peleus, knocking the small Lord away. Enigma skidded across the moonlit desert, tiny particles of sand bouncing off her armor. Despite the situation being five-against-one, the small Lord had the upper hand. The only person at near-full strength was Elise, having only briefly used her powers to rescue the others from the Deathstalker nest.

"Well," Elise said, bashing her shield into Enigma to force the Lord back, "it seems we dealt with one problem, only for another to replace it."

"She was probably watching us fight earlier," Eve replied, firing a projectile of of red energy. "When she saw that we were mostly weakened, she must have decided to make a move."

"Lord Agony... will not allow... Nikos... to warn others... of the Order's location..." Enigma said. The Lord warped forward, one of her clawed arms slashing wildly at Ignis, who deflected the blow with his sword. Cherri waved her hand from behind the Bloodline of Flame, and long vines emerged from the sand to attempt to grab Enigma. "Maybe... he will be... happy... if I... eliminate other... problems... as well..."

An icy javelin from Peleus traced by the Lord's arm, clipping the cloth on her arms. Enigma warped out of the way of a second thrown weapon, taking refuge at the top of a dune to heal the slash across her limb.

"At least this one has to disengage to heal..." Ignis commented. He panted and coughed. Cherri's healing had gotten him back on his feet, but the Bloodline of Flame could feel that he still had numerous internal injuries that her ability had not fully healed. Fighting with Enigma only seemed to be aggravating those existing wounds.

"Ryan, should I-" the Maiden started, only for the ex-Lord to wave her down.

"After," Ryan answered, "I don't want Enigma attempting to take your head off while you're busy trying to heal me." Elise took several steps back as the Lord delivered a powerful kick to her shield. Despite her target being the Senator, Enigma's attacks had been unusually focused on Eve and Elise. Was it because she considered them the largest threats?

The Lord popped out of thin air next to Ryan and kicked him in the side, knocking him into Cherri and sending them both tumbling back down towards the cavern containing the Grimm nest. The Maiden reacted quickly, creating a thick net of vines across the hole over the Deathstalkers. The Grimm seemed to sense the disturbance above, and flooded towards the surface, their claws and stingers poking through Cherri's net. Ryan grabbed the Maiden and rolled off the net as a particularly large Grimm's pincer stabbed through the thick vines.

"Th- Thank you, Ryan," Cherri said, blushing despite the situation. The Deathstalker might not have been able to see them, but the sharp claw had come within inches of impaling them. The net began to give way under the sheer number of dark creatures underneath.

"Time to go," Ignis commented, picking up the Maiden suddenly in his arms. As they reached the top of the dune where Enigma was fighting the others, Cherri's net broke, and the Grimm poured out like some sort of hellish geyser. Unable to see either of them, the Deathstalkers skittered past Ryan and the Maiden, making a beeline for the four other figures currently engaged in combat.

Elise and Eve turned as the Grimm stampeded over the sand towards them, kicking dust up into the night air as the frenzied horde drew closer. Eve grabbed Peleus by the arm and flared her ability, re-summoning her wings to float above the swarm. Elise followed shortly after, her pair of dove's wings glowing at her back. Enigma, however, was descended upon by the Grimm.

The Lord whipped one of her clawed hands upward, the three razor-sharp blades slicing cleanly through a Deathstalker's head, bone and all. She slammed her palm into the ground, releasing a blast of psychic energy that sent the large Grimm flying in all directions.

Peleus watched in horror as the one small girl in Order armor began to tear the Deathstalkers to shreds. She became a whirlwind of wild slashes and stabs, cutting the Grimm to ribbons. Sensing the danger, the swarm began to fall back as the largest among their number could not even lay a claw on the Lord. Enigma visibly panted as the Grimm retreated back into their underground cavern.

"So, that's the weakness in her ability," Eve commented. "She's incredibly powerful against small groups or single targets because of her access to multiple secondary abilities, but in drawn out fights, those same powers drain her energy much faster..."

"I think she still wants us dead, though," Elise replied as the Lord's helmet snapped up to look at them. Enigma vanished and reappeared a few feet from the sister Bloodlines and the Senator in the air. Eve dropped her altitude quickly to avoid getting her head removed. Elise delivered a sharp blow to the Lord with her shield, sending the Lord tumbling down into the sand below.

Enigma jumped to her feet, only to be sent sprawling as Ryan smashed his fist into the side of her helmet. The piece of armor flew off into the distance. The Lord felt the wind against her skin and froze.

"N-No... Lord Agony... will be furious... I can't- Never supposed... to take it off..." the Lord spoke frantically.

"What..." Peleus' eyes widened. The others donned looks of similar surprise as Enigma turned to face them. Blood-red hair, Emerald eyes, and freckles. She looked several years younger than Eve or Elise, perhaps only sixteen, but the facial features were undeniable. The Lord's face wasn't only similar to the Bloodlines of Light and Sorrow, it was nearly identical.

"I- I can't-" Enigma search frantically for her missing helmet. Upon finding that it was nowhere in sight, the Lord threw a frightened look towards the shocked-looking faces around her, and vanished into thin air.

"Wait!" Elise called out just as Enigma disappeared. A small puff of sand dropped to the ground in the spot the Lord had stood a moment before.

"I knew it..." Eve muttered and closed her eyes. "That bastard..."

"Poor girl," Elise shook her head.

"Agony's probably just using her as a tool," Ryan added knowingly. "Judging from how she acts, I don't think she's ever had a normal interaction with another living being."

"Wait, what?" Peleus finally spoke up. "Eve, is that girl your sister!? What is going on!?" Confusion was evident on his face.

"No," Eve answered. "Well..."

"She kinda is, and kinda isn't," Elise supplied.

"What does that mean!?" Peleus demanded. He was suddenly becoming very wary of the three Bloodlines. What if they were working for the enemy? What if they were using him to lead them to high-value targets?

"She's- um..." Elise looked at Eve questioningly. "Should we tell them?"

"Take your time" Cherri smiled kindly. "This is all very sudden, so all of us need to slow down."

"Thank you," Eve said softly. "First, I think I should introduce Elise."

"I'm Eve's sister," the Guardian said promptly.

"Sort of," Ryan commented from the side.

"I'm confused again," Peleus stated. "What exactly are you two? Are you sisters or not?"

"Well..." Eve sighed. "We're sisters, but not in the traditional sense. As you can see, we're not the same age. However, our genetics are identical, which is why we look so similar."

"Wait," the Senator held up a hand. "You're talking about cloning?"

"Yes..." Even nodded. "Elise and I... are technically the same person..."

"Well, not really though," Elise countered. "We have our own experiences and lives, so we aren't _exactly_ the same."

"Yes, well... there's to it than that..." Eve continued. "Agony... is our father..."

"He's _what_!?" Peleus yelled. "Your father is that- that _monster_!?" He trailed off.

"You're preaching to the converted, Senator," Ryan said, putting a hand in front of Peleus. "There's no need to yell." The Mistral politician closed his mouth tightly. "Go ahead."

"Agony's _real_ daughter... died in infancy due to a genetic defect..." Eve explained. "After that, he used his knowledge to try to bring her back, but at the same time tried to make her 'better'. Over time, as he failed countless times to bring her back, I think he lost sight of that goal... He became obsessed with creating a 'perfect human', which is probably why he gravitated towards the Order when it was founded, since their founding thought was that Auras were fundamentally superior to Humans." Eve looked down at her feet. "With the Order's ability to procure resources for him, Agony was able to further his research... and I was his first success. An artificial Bloodline. At the time, I didn't know that I was the only one out of a batch of over a thousand to survive... Elise was the second to ever survive, but she didn't have a Bloodline ability, so Agony disposed of her as a failure..."

"I got tossed in a river," Elise added. "Kinda archaic, huh? I was lucky though. A kind woman happened to find me that day, and she took this wayward baby home to raise as her own. I grew up not knowing that I had been grown instead of born, with parents and a brother that didn't care where I'd come from..."

"Meanwhile, Agony was raising me as something somewhere between his daughter and a soldier," Eve said. "I didn't want for food, shelter, or... family... but I was trained harshly, and wasn't allowed to make mistakes lightly... Then, there was a day where I was taken before the High Lord of the Order at the time, Lord Esprit. The war between the Order and EDC had begun in full at this point. I was made a Lord to act as a commander against normal Humans... and I was good at it because of my training..."

"Long story short," Elise said, "I joined the Guardians and ended up running into Eve several times. We eventually discovered the truth behind our creation, and Eve wound up leaving the Order before we chased them off Earth."

"Right," Eve nodded. "The point is... Agony seems to have created a third successful child... and that's Enigma. She's the next step towards his 'perfect Human'..."

"But she isn't like the two of you," Cherri spoke up. "She seemed sort of... broken... somehow."

"Agony probably believes that the fact he treated me with _any_ sort of kindness is why I was able to leave," Eve explained. "He's probably stripped any sort of Human element out of how Enigma was raised..."

"What kind of man would do that to his own flesh and blood?" Peleus asked in horror.

"The kind of man who's become unhinged and power-hungry," Ryan answered. Cherri nodded her head solemnly in agreement.

"I believe I owe the three of you an apology, then..." Peleus bowed his head. "I was beginning to fear that we were not on the same side, but I was wrong... Eve, I am sorry for suspecting you, your sister, and your friend."

"No offense taken, Peleus," Eve replied. "Trust is something that is earned, and I wasn't being particularly open or direct. It's no surprise that you'd be more than a little cautious."

"Right," Elise smiled, "so we're all friends again? If so, let's get to digging a working transport out of the sand."

"Elise is right," Cherri nodded, "We should try to get moving again before sunrise. The desert heats up very quickly."

"Then we'd better get started," Peleus nodded. "Our transport should still be working. Miss Cherri, you and I should see what you can salvage from your craft."

"On it," the Maiden replied, padding towards the Bullhead she and Ryan had crashed in.

"So, where was everyone heading?" Elise asked, following Ryan, and Eve towards the functioning Mistral aircraft.

"The Kingdom of Vale," Eve answered. "Peleus believe a man there can help him."

"That person's name wouldn't happen to be 'Ozpin', would it?" Ryan asked. "Because Cherri is trying to reach him as well, if that's the case."

"Yes, I believe that was his name," Eve nodded.

"Guess we were all headed in the same direction, then," Elise smiled, stopping in front of the partially buried Bullhead. "Alright, let's dig this thing out. Then, onwards we go to Vale..."

* * *

Shiro dropped to her knees and punch a frustrated fist into the desert sand. She had come so close, not once, but twice, to claiming another Maiden's power for her own, and each time she had been foiled by people with powers far surpassing the normal people of Remnant. Just who or what were they? Had the group "protecting" the Maidens found an effective way to actually do their jobs?

What really angered Shiro, however, was how close she had come to defeat. She had made sure not to show signs of fatigue during the fight, but her aura had dropped to less than a fourth of its maximum strength. Albeit, she hadn't gone into her most recent fight at full power, she had still been recovering from her fights back in Vale. Still, Shiro had realized that her most recent engagement had been impossible to win in her current state.

The pale woman sat cross-legged in the sand and began to think. The main issue was that she had been blindsided. If it had been only the Maiden and her single protector, Shiro would have won easily, but it was the arrival of the other parties that had defeated her. Thinking about how close her victories had been frustrated her even more.

Shiro found herself looking at an oasis in the distance, a small patch of water with a touch of green around it, encapsulated by a bowl of stone. The pale woman became painfully aware of her parched throat, and decided that it would probably be best for her to move towards the water. Just as this thought entered her head, Shiro felt her aura drain a great deal. She suddenly fell from several inches above the ground, but quickly realized she was significantly closer to the oasis.

Shiro suddenly smiled to herself. She hadn't been aware of it before, but when she had kissed that white-haired boy back in Mountain Glenn to taste some of the Maiden's power, she must have picked up some of his ability as well. She stared at the oasis again, and tried to repeat the warp. Again, her aura drained greatly, leaving Shiro with less than an eighth of her total strength. She also noticed that her intended destination for the teleportation was several meters to her right.

So, she had received a more costly and less precise version of the boy's power? It seemed that way, since he had used his ability multiple times with little effort to cover the distance between Beacon Academy and Mountain Glenn, and the pale woman was barely able to warp twice to cover roughly a quarter of a mile. Still, she could make this work.

Shiro smiled to herself. This would be her ace in the hole. She'd turn the boy's own power against him. Thinking of the surprise on his face made her shiver with delight. Shiro began to form a plan in her head. She would return to Vale and track down the silver-haired Maiden and her companion first. Once they were dealt with, she'd be able to challenge the remaining Maiden with little effort and take her power as well. Then, with power equivalent to three and a half of the Maidens at her disposal, Shiro would be free to track down the Fall Maiden at her leisure. And once she had all four, then the world would be hers.

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **This one turned out okay, I think. It's not as long as last chapter (thankfully), but I expect that there will be a** **couple longer chapters near the end. Sorry that it took so long for this to be posted. XCom 2 released, and I got distracted.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

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 **Skaana: Thanks! I will try to keep on schedule as much as possible.**


	35. Chapter 34

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 34**_

Cinder walked through Vale, casting painful glances at the destruction around her. The Order's attack had left several districts almost flattened, but thankfully, reports suggested that casualties had actually been fairly low. Still, hundreds of people had been left without their homes, and Beacon and the Vale Council were doing their best to accommodate them.

A sudden burst of distant gunfire caught Cinder's attention, causing her to look up in time to see a Nevermore fall from the sky. Cries of thousands of Grimm drifted through the air, growing louder as Cinder approached Vale's Northeastern wall. Fortunately, the Order forces had not damaged the city's perimeter too badly, but there were still areas where Grimm were leaking in. In other sections of the wall, the creatures gathered in large numbers, scratching at the only structure keeping them out.

Cinder's boots thudded against a flight of stairs as she climbed up onto the top of the wall, the sounds of gunfire now within close proximity. There was a dull thunk, followed by a series of explosions. Cinder idly looked at what she was wearing. She wasn't sure why, but she had donned the EDC uniform that she had barely touched.

Barnes had given her the clothing as a formality to signify that she was officially a member of the group, but Cinder had often worn her regular attire for everyday activity. Now that the General was gone, Cinder couldn't shake the feeling that she no longer belonged. Was she just trying to convince herself that she was still part of the EDC, even though the man who had brought her in was gone?

Cinder reached the top of the stairs, gusts of wind blowing her long black hair wildly. The top of the wall was occupied by numerous Huntsmen and Huntresses, all firing their weapons down at a literal sea of Grimm at the base of the wall. Occasionally, someone would air at the sky to shoot down a Nevermore or other flying Grimm. The creatures were being drawn en masse to Vale by the painful emotions felt across the entire city, and the only thing standing in their way was the wall and the local contingent of police and Huntsmen.

Cinder caught sight of two people in EDC armor amongst the crowd atop the wall. It was this pair she had come to find. Alex knelt down to look over the edge of the wall and threw a grenade down at an angle. A blast of thunder could be heard moments later, accompanied by the furious squeals of the Grimm. Dimitri stood beside his old friend, firing his machine gun indiscriminately into the horde below. Alex turned to pull another grenade out of a crate, and noticed Cinder standing a short distance away.

"Cinder?" the blond soldier asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Er..." Cinder steeled herself as Dimitri also became aware of her presence. "Private Fall, reporting for duty, Sirs!" She made a shaky salute.

"Seriously, Cinder," Alex and the Russian pulled her aside. "What's wrong?"

"I-" the black-haired woman trailed off as grief and pain welled up inside her heart. "With Barnes gone, I- I thought- I thought I needed to prove that I was still of use to-"

"Oy," Dimitri cut her off by placing two hands on her shoulders. "None of that."

"Cinder, just because the General isn't around anymore doesn't diminish your place among us," Alex said softly, "The moment Barnes said you were a part of the EDC, you became one of us."

"But... aren't you the ranking officer now?" Cinder asked.

"Yes, but a rank is just a title," Alex replied. "We survive because we trust each other, not because of the chain of command, okay? Cinder, you're our friend before anything else. And its not just the EDC. Luna, Ruby, Firo, Blake, Ryland... everyone counts you as a friend." Cinder smiled sadly, remaining silent for several moments.

"Thank you... Alex. Dimitri," she finally said softly. "Thank you." Gray clouds overhead began to drop water onto Vale, tiny specks of liquid spattering the top of the wall. The precipitation quickly increased from a drizzle to a downpour.

"Looks like the rain's starting," the Russian stated. "Let's get Cinder back to Beacon before she soaks through."

"Right," Alex nodded, turning to one of the Huntsman in the area. "Think you guys can handle this on your own for a while?"

"We were born to handle Grimm," the Huntsman replied with a rain-soaked grin. "Go on, we can take care of this."

"Thanks," Dimitri nodded to the man. As the rain continued to fall, the pair of soldiers guided Cinder back down the stair from where she came. The woman shivered slightly as the mixture of moisture and cold air began to affect her. Finding that the torrential downpour seemed to show no indications of slowing down, the three members of the EDC took shelter under a partially collapsed building. A dust-covered green awning shielded a small rectangle of cement from the water.

"I'm beginning to wonder how good these uniforms really are," Cinder commented, wringing the sleeve of her drenched clothing. "Though really, thanks. Both of you. It's nice to have somewhere to call home."

"Everyone deserves to have someplace to go back to," Alex replied with a kind smile. "I'm glad you've decided that place is with all of us."

"Speaking of which, Boss," Dimitri added, "weren't you going to ask Cinder something?"

"Right," the blond soldier nodded. He adopted a more formal stance for a moment. "Cinder, as current ranking officer of our group, I'd like to ask you to oversee all strategic decisions."

"What?" Cinder gaped at him in shock for a second. "Wait, you want me to..."

"In a way, I'm asking you to take over Barnes' role. He chose to teach you tactics and leadership specifically, so I'd like you to be able to work in a role that suits you..." Alex said. "Unless, of course, you'd rather help out somewhere else? The decision's up to you."

"What would I do exactly?" Cinder asked.

"The same things you've been taught. A tactician's job is to plan and coordinate. To make sure everyone's in the right place," the blond soldier answered. "As someone Barnes took under his wing, I can't think of anyone who'd fit the role better than you."

"Alright," Cinder nodded slowly, shaking water from her hair. "I can at least try. I'll do my best to prove your faith in me isn't misplaced."

"We've got your back," Dimitri patted her should once.

"I... I feel like there would be something Barnes would have said here..." Cinder smiled sadly. "But for the life of me, I can't seem to think of what..."

"Good, then you're already starting to sound like him," the Russian grinned. Much to the two soldiers' relief, Cinder began to chuckle ruefully, then laugh. The sound was muffled by the roar of the rain, but the pair could clearly see that Cinder looked like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Alright," Cinder said, calming down. Her sadness replaced with a look of fiery determination. "Let's get going. I'm going to need some help digging through Barnes' files if I'm going to come up with effective ways to fight the Order or that 'Shiro' woman."

"Aren't you worried about the rain?" Alex asked. "Wouldn't be good for our brand new tactician to catch a cold on the first day."

"I'm already soaked because the damn uniform sucks," Cinder smirked. "A little more water isn't going to kill me." She sneezed loudly. "Alright, _fine_. Cup of coffee and something that actually keeps me dry first..."

* * *

"Are you feeling better, Amber?" Ozpin asked, leaning on his cane beside the Maiden's bed. After she had awoken, Ozpin and Ironwood had helped move her to the most isolated corner of the infirmary, away from prying eyes and ears. Since normal residents of Vale were being treated at Beacon as the hospitals in the city overflowed, her presence went widely unnoticed.

"I'm... still having trouble processing everything..." the Maiden answered, rubbing a hand across her face. The scars she had acquired before falling into her comatose state were still visible across her cheeks and body. Arthur had concentrated on allowing the Maiden to wake up, and Ozpin understood that the Guardian hadn't possessed the energy to worry about already-healed wounds. "You said... I was asleep... for three years?"

"That is correct," Ironwood nodded.

"And... during that time... there were armies from other worlds... people wielding powers that rivaled Maidens fighting in the streets... and a temple that could have ended Remnant as we know it..." Amber listed off.

"Yes," Ozpin bobbed his head once. The Maiden's head fell back into her pillow.

"I leave for a little while, and it feels like the entire world got turned on its head..." Amber muttered, staring at the ceiling. "What happened to the boy who healed me? Who is he?"

"His name is Arthur Raphael," Ozpin replied. "He is one of the people from the other world, Earth. I believe he retired to his room. Healing you seemed to prove taxing for him..."

"I'll have to thank him once I'm back on my feet," Amber nodded, staring at the ceiling. "I assume he knows what I am?"

"We brought in quite a few new associates just before waking you," Ironwood answered. "The group present when you regained consciousness are all aware of your identity."

"I see," the Fall Maiden said, "They must be good people if you trust them. Could I possibly... meet them later? Or is it still best that I don't?"

"We've come to the realization..." Ozpin sighed, "that we may have been going about protecting you in the incorrect way... Tell me, Amber... were you lonely?" The Maiden looked at him oddly, as if trying to discern if he was asking for an honest answer.

"There were times... Yes..." she answered softly.

"Then Mr. Greene and Barnes were correct," Ozpin sighed. "I really was blind to what my actions were doing to others..."

"Ah, but it was for my safety, right?" Amber asked. "I can't blame you for trying to keep me saf-"

"No," Ozpin cut her off, "my actions very well may have ended up jeopardizing your well-being rather than protecting you. The fact that we were unable to reach you in time when you were attacked is proof of that..."

"So, what now, then?" Amber moved her head so she was facing the headmaster and Atlesian General.

"You may want to thank a number of our newest members," Ozpin sighed, but smiled gently. "After the current issues have been resolved, we plan on trying something different."

"You mean... the person who attack me," Amber guessed.

"That is one of two pertinent crises at hand," the headmaster nodded, "but you don't need to concern yourself with the other."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" the Maiden asked, shifting so her back was angled slightly.

"If there is anything you can remember about the day you were attacked, it might prove useful," Ironwood stated, taking out his scroll to note anything Amber said.

"That day..." she put a hand on her right cheek as she tried to recall what had happened. "I remember... a woman... She showed up at the location you had left me at... She looked lost, and asked me for directions... Then, she suddenly jumped at me... We fought, and then... And then everything went black.

"Do you recall what this woman looked like? Did she give you her name?" Ozpin asked urgently.

"White hair... I remember white hair... I don't think she ever said her name though..."

"Well, it's not much to go on, but it certainly sounds like the same woman that appeared at the school," Ironwood noted, staring at the transcript of Amber's statement.

"I've been meaning to ask," Amber spoke up. "Where are the other Maidens? I'd be interested in speaking to them."

"The Summer and Winter Maidens were killed prior to your attack," Ozpin answered solemnly. "And we lost contact with the Spring Maiden when the communication towers went offline. We believe that the new Winter Maiden is nearby, but we are unable to keep track of her. Your attacker is in possession of the Summer Maiden's power, as well as some of yours."

"Well, I think I can ease your worrying a little," Amber smiled lightly. "I feel that the two missing Maidens are very close."

* * *

"Arthur?" Emerald called as she pushed the door of their dorm room open. Pyrrha followed behind her. The Mistral student had been filled with worry ever since General Ironwood had arrived with news that Atlas had been attacked at the same time as Vale. Without the rest of her team by her side, Pyrrha felt... exposed.

Pyrrha looked around the dorm room, flinching as her eyes passed over Anika's bed. She and the sniper hadn't spent too much time together, but they had spent enough for Pyrrha to consider her a trustworthy companion. It suddenly struck the Mistral student how quickly Anika's life had ended. Her belongings were still hastily stored underneath her bed, as if she would come walking into the dorm to finish cleaning.

Emerald moved over to a motionless lump laying on one of the beds. Arthur lay on his side, facing the wall silently. Even without seeing his face, the girls could tell he was exhausted.

"Hey, Arthur?" Emerald said softly, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah..." the Guardian quietly answered. Emerald caught a glimpse of his face, and could see tear streaks running down his cheeks.

"You may be good at reading people," the mint-haired girl placed a hand on his shoulder, "but you're a terrible liar, you know..."

"Arthur, what's wrong?" Pyrrha asked, pulling a chair over so she could sit next to the pair.

"I- I failed," the Guardian answered shakily. "The Order attacked Vale... I was useless... and I lost friends... just like last time..."

"Arthur," Pyrrha spoke gently. "Nathan and Miko's death weren't your fault. Neither are Anika's or Carbon's. You tried-"

"They _are_ my fault!" the Guardian suddenly sat up and shouted. "What good is the power to heal people if I can't save anyone I care about!?" Tears fell from his eyes. "All I'm good for is keeping people alive _slightly_ longer. Nothing I do matters! The people I want to live are the ones that always die! I-" Emerald jumped back as Pyrrha's hand flew across Arthur's face with a loud slap.

"Listen carefully, Arthur," Pyrrha said both commandingly and gently, "I know that I don't have the experiences you do. I know I can only guess at the pain and suffering you're going through. But, Emerald, me, and most of the others are still here. We know that you can't save everyone, and we don't expect you to. But you won't be able to help anybody if you break down now." Pyrrha took a deep breath. Arthur stared at her silently for several moments, a red imprint of the Mistral student's hand clearly visible on his left cheek. He sat and processed everything Pyrrha had said.

"Look," Pyrrha continued, "you don't have to shoulder all of our burdens for us alone. We're your friends, we're here to help."

"You're a terrible speech giver..." Arthur replied shakily. "Thank you, Pyrrha... I... I lost myself there..."

"That's to be expected," Pyrrha smiled. "We've all undergone a hellish trial, and you're probably more exhausted than any of us after healing the Maiden... Er... and I apologize for hitting you... it was the first thing that came to mind..."

"You don't need to be sorry," Arthur shook his head. His eyelids fluttered. "Thank... you..." The Guardian suddenly passed out as his fatigue finally overtook him. Emerald gently sat his head on her knee. She wiped the tears off his face with her hand.

"He's kinda cute when he's asleep..." Emerald noted softly. "I'll stay with him until he wakes up again... Make sure that he knows I'm not going anywhere..." The mint-haired girl brushed a strand of hair off the sleeping Guardian's face.

"I think I'll stay as well," Pyrrha smiled. The hours dragged on, and slowly Emerald also nodded off, resting against the wall of the dorm with Arthur's head on her lap. Pyrrha kept a soft watchful gaze over her friends, but as the sun set, she too eventually slouched in her chair and began to snore softly.

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **Not sure how I feel about this chapter. I kinda feel that something's off.** **Sorry for the delay, but I should be back on track now.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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	36. Chapter 35

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 35**_

"Hey! Where do think you're going?" Ruby's voice startled Alex. The soldier turned to find his cloaked friend jogging towards him with Luna in tow, both girls lit up slightly by the rising sun.

"Out on patrol," Alex replied with a yawn. "There was some chatter yesterday, saying that Shades were still leaking in from somewhere on the South wall."

"You mean Grimm?" Luna tilted her head as she and the cloaked student came to a stop in front of the blond soldier. The azure-haired woman suddenly noticed Alex's eyes widen in shock.

"I- Yeah. I meant Grimm," the soldier placed a hand over his face. The last few days had been incredibly stressful for Alex. Between the looming threats of Shiro and the Order, he had been falling back into old habits from the war on Earth.

"Alex?" Luna jolted him out of his thought as she grabbed his shoulders. Alex met her deep blue eyes as they gazed at him with worry. "Are you okay?" The soldier remained silent for several moments, prompting Ruby to rush to his side as well. The cloaked girl looked him over, quickly noticing dark rings around his eyes.

"Didn't you sleep last night?" Ruby questioned urgently. "You look like you're about to collapse."

"I think I pulled a four-hour nap..." he responded uncertainly.

"No," Luna shook her head. "That was the day _before_ yesterday..."

"It... was?" Alex asked. "I don't... I thought..."

"Alex, what's wrong?" Ruby's silver eyes were wide with apparent frantic worry.

"Hey, Al!" Ruby and Luna turned as a new voice yelled out to them. Marcia was jogging towards them, her shoulder-length hair bobbing. She still was dressed in her combat gear, her rifle slung across her back. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"I was going down to the South wall to-" Alex started, but stopped when the EDC General's hand clamped over his mouth.

"Shut it, I don't care. You're not going anywhere looking like you're about to keel over at any second," Marcia hissed.

"I'm fine, Marcia. Reall-" Alex's eye twitched in slight pain as his old teammate's grip on his face tightened. Marcia's face had a clearly fake smile across it, her lips were pressed tightly together.

"Get. Your. Arse. To. Bed," The General said, her British-heritage accent becoming more apparent with her thinly-veiled rage.

"I-"

"General's orders," Marcia snapped. "Get going." She jabbed her thumb back towards Beacon. Alex sighed in defeat.

"Yeah... maybe you're right..." the soldier said tiredly.

"You're damn right, I am," Marcia narrowed her eyes. "Now, go. You, Luna, make sure he gets in a bed and stays there."

"I- Uh- Right away!" Luna squeaked and inexplicably blushed as the General turned to her. The azure-haired woman grabbed the drowsy Alex by his arm, hurriedly pulling him along as she fled Marcia's wrath. Ruby was left standing next to Marcia in awe, as the woman who stood only a head taller than her sent the pair rushing back towards the academy. Ruby noticed the General's expression soften once Alex and Luna passed out of sight.

"So..." Ruby said uneasily, unsure whether Marcia would turn on her next. "Hi?"

"Sorry about that," the General sighed, pivoting on her heel to face the student. "I saw Alex being an idiot again, so I stepped in."

"He's... done this before?" Ruby asked. Marcia's eyes scanned over the student, clearly stopping as she caught sight of the last-generation EDC plating Ruby had integrated into her outfit. She seemed to decide not to comment.

"Are you referring to him not resting, or me yelling at him?" Marcia responded.

"The yelling. I know that he doesn't sleep when he's worried about stuff."

"Guess he really hasn't changed then... Well, back home, somebody had to kick half the platoon into their beds."

"He wasn't the only one?"

"Nah, most of them just outgrew it after a while. Alex never did though, spent all his time worrying about others..." An anguished look passed over Marcia's face. Ruby suddenly remembered a portion of the footage from Alex's helmet cam. He and Dimitri had forced Marcia onto a final seat on an evacuation transport, even though their friend had been determined to stay and fight alongside them.

"Are you mad at them?" Ruby asked.

"I can't really say... It's hard to be mad at people whose deaths you made peace with... Honestly... this all feels very surreal..." Marcia let out a huff of air. "I guess I'm... a bit disappointed... maybe..."

"You feel like they left you behind?" Ruby inquired seriously. Marcia was surprised by the girl's insight.

"Yeah... That's probably the best way to put it..." The cloaked girl's fear of the woman suddenly evaporated as Marcia looked sadly at the ground. "I've spent the last twelve years of my life trying to live up to the legacy of friends I thought were dead... only to find that they'd... moved on without me..." The General turned away from Ruby. The dark-haired student saw a few clear drops fall towards the ground. Ruby froze, unsure of how she should proceed. What would Alex do?

Marcia suddenly felt a small hand close around her forearm, tugging her gently towards the city in the distance. The back of Ruby's head appeared in front of her.

"What are you-" Marcia started.

"Well, since Alex isn't checking to see whether Grimm are coming in through the South wall, someone has to... and it's always best to have someone to watch you back, right?" Ruby answered. Marcia replied only with silence, but her tears stopped fully and she seemed to follow Ruby's lead a little easier. The pair walked towards Vale without uttering a word for several minutes. Marcia came to a halt behind the student as they reached the academy's landing pad and awaited a transport. "Alex and Dimitri haven't forgotten you..."

"What?" Marcia looked up slightly.

"They both have said nothing but good things about you and the other members of the EDC... Alex always seems to think that failed he you all in some way."

"He's still carrying around that pouch of dog-tags, huh?" Marcia sighed. "Old habits, I guess."

"Well, all but one..." Ruby replied, reaching to pull a pair of twisted metal ovals out from underneath her cloak. The General leaned down to look.

"Aya's... I guess that's fitting..." Marcia sighed. "She was always out to help others... and judging from the damage, I'd say Alex's superstition ended up saving your life."

"Yeah..." Ruby stopped as a small dustplane landed at the pad, its engines kicking dust and small debris into the air. The student and General boarded silently, and the transport shook slightly as it pulled back into the air.

"So..." Marcia said, attempting to strike up further conversation. "How'd you wind up working with Alex and the others?"

"I found them," Ruby answered. "Alex and Dimitri were off in the woods. They looked lost, so I lent a helping hand. After that, I guess they just became a part of everyone's lives. We met Ryland later, and he kinda fell in with everyone too."

"Been meaning to ask about that," the General said. "Who's the blonde girl that was tailing Ryland?"

"That's Yang, my sister," Ruby said readily. "They're... dating, I guess... I mean, Yang's devoted more energy to their relationship than I've seen her do with anyone else..."

"I'm surprised Ryland's able to hold any sort of meaningful relationship... Usually, he just makes an ass of himself."

"Honestly, that's probably part of the reason why they get along," Ruby shrugged. "They're not exactly a standard couple... but neither are the other two pairs."

"Wait," Marcia said suddenly. "Alex and that Luna girl... are they..."

"Yup," Ruby nodded slowly. The General smacked her hand against her forehead.

"Crap. I'm _really_ hoping that she didn't misinterpret what I said..."

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Ruby shook her head. "Luna probably just took it to mean that she should curl up next to him. She's a little nervous when it comes to being close to Alex like that."

"How in the world do _you_ know this?" Marcia raised an eyebrow. Ruby caught a glimpse of a smirk play across the woman's face.

"It wasn't that hard to find out. I caught the two of them kissing once, and Luna got really embarrassed that I'd seen," Ruby supplied. "I also was never supposed to tell another living soul about that... Whoops." Marcia let out an amused snort. "So, are you feeling a bit better?"

"Yeah... talking helped. With all that's happened, it felt like my old friends were just as far away as they'd been when I thought they were dead... I guess I was being too self-centered," Marcia sighed and rubbed the back of her neck.

"You're happy to see your friends alive, there's nothing wrong with that," Ruby replied.

"Still, they're busy trying to help so many people, I can't ask them to just set that aside and come catch up like nothing's going on. Guess I should pull my weight too..."

"That's why I'm bringing you with me," Ruby said.

"Aren't I a total stranger to you?" Marcia tilted her head to stare at the student.

"Alex and Dimitri trust you, so you can't be a bad person."

"Thanks, Kid," Marcia closed her eyes happily for a moment.

"Ruby. My name's Ruby," the student held out a hand to the General. "It's nice to meet you in person, Miss Evans. Alex and Dimitri always tell cool stories about you."

"A pleasure to meet you, Ruby," Marcia quirked an eyebrow. "Also, Really? Like what?"

"Like the one time you shot an enemy with a handgun from over two-hundred meters away. And they also talked about how you terrified newer members of your platoon when they first joined and you made one of the other snipers cry." Ruby giggled as she remembered the story. "They always said that you were the best shot in the EDC, and that you could be a bit... bristly... but that they wouldn't have wanted anyone else as their friend and teammate."

"Okay," Marcia struggled not to laugh. "First, the handgun bit was pure luck. My bloody rifle decided to jam at just the wrong time, so I just emptied my handgun at the guy and happened to hit him with a shot. Second, the reason Henderson was bawling was because I kicked him in the balls. If anyone was terrified after that, it was anyone else who was thinking of hitting on me."

"Honestly, I that just makes them better," Ruby chuckled. The dustplane rocked slightly as it began its descent. The automated system sent out a call to warn its pair of passengers of their arrival. "Looks like we're here, Miss Evans. Ready to go hunting for some Grimm?"

"Well, I was holding onto this stuff in case the Order came back," Marcia gestured to the rifle on her back. "But, it looks like I have a reputation to keep today. Oh, and Ruby?"

"Yeah?"

"Call me Marcia."

* * *

"Weiss, please..." Winter tried to coax her sister out from underneath a pile of blankets. With the exception of coming out to be informed about the Maidens a few days before, Weiss had spent every second of time buried in her bed. She had barely spoken or eaten, and not gotten nearly enough sleep despite being in a bed.

Winter sat beside her sibling with a concerned gaze seemingly embedded on her face. Anise had not strayed too far from the two Schnees, since they were all she had left without Charles. The small dark-haired girl hopped up to sit on the edge of Weiss' bed, laying herself down on top of the pile of covers.

"Weiss," Winter pleaded, "it wasn't your fault. Please, just-" The older Schnee stopped as Weiss' distraught face poked itself out of the blankets.

"'Not my fault'... How could you possibly say that?" Weiss' eyes were red from crying, her voice shook with each word she spoke. "I- It's _all_ my fault... If I hadn't run out there... that Lord wouldn't have..."

"You didn't know," Anise said, moving to hug Weiss' wrapped form gently.

"It doesn't change the fact... that he killed Charles... with _my_ Semblance..." Weiss found herself holding Anise's small warm form tightly. A damp patch across the younger Schnee's chest informed her that the young girl had succumbed to her own anguish and begun to cry. Winter placed a gentle hand on the top of her sister's head. "It's- It's almost like-"

"Don't you dare," Winter cut her off. "That Lord, 'Golem', is the one that killed Charles. You don't carry any blame for what happened." Winter laid her arms across Anise and Weiss, doing her best to embrace them both. Despite her best efforts, the elder Schnee felt tears leak from her eyes, no matter how many times she told herself she needed to be strong for the two younger girls.

A knock at the door suddenly cause all of them to jolt and sit upright. As Weiss' covers fell off her, Winter noticed how terrible she appeared. Her sister's once-shining white hair had been reduced to a sloppy dull gray mop, dark rings underlined both her eyes, and her skin had taken on an unhealthy ashen hue. Anise, in spite of her efforts not to show it, was in equally poor condition. Winter could only imagine how she looked herself.

The older Schnee slowly rose from her seat and walked towards the door, forgoing grace and stature in her stride. She hurriedly wiped the tears from her face as she reached out to grab the door handle. However, the door swung open of its own accord, narrowly missing Winter's face.

"Lex, don't do that. You'll end up taking someone's eye out," a man in a trench coat knelt beside a small girl. Winter vaguely recognized him from when Ozpin had revealed Amber to them. Now that she was up close, she froze. The man was the spitting image of Charles in almost every way. He had the same stormy-gray eyes, the same messy brown hair, and the same easy smile.

"Charles-" Weiss suddenly noticed the man, but stopped when she realized it wasn't who she thought it was. Winter saw Anise's eyes light up for a moment, full of hope that the fatherly man they had known might have escaped death.

"Sorry, did we come at a bad time?" Alyia stepped into view behind the man and small girl.

"It's no worse than any other, I'm afraid..." Winter weakly made an attempt at a smile. "Please, come in..."

"Winter," Alyia said, catching sight of Weiss and Anise "if you're not all feeling up to it, we can come back some other time."

"It's fine, really," Winter replied shakily. "Having some company might do us some good..."

"If you're sure..." Alyia stepped into the room. The man and girl followed her in. Weiss sat on the edge of her bed with Anise next to her, eying the newcomers tiredly. "Weiss. Winter. Anise. I'd like all of you to meet my brother, Jerloh, and his daughter, Lex."

"Alyia said you three were the ones that found my dad, right?" Jerloh smiled.

"I- We-" Weiss sputtered, frightened of how Jerloh might react if he knew that she'd-

"Thanks for taking care of him," the Terror Inheritor spoke in time to cut off the younger Schnee's thoughts. Weiss felt her expression change to one of gaping disbelief. "He might not have shown it, but from what Aly's said, it sounds like you were looking after him as much as he was for you."

"In a way..." Winter said, "he was like the father we always wished he had..."

"Then I'd better do my best to protect the siblings he brought into the family then," Jerloh smiled. Winter's head shot up to look at him in shock.

"What..." Weiss breathed. "But we- I-"

"Aly told me what happened. Dad always talked about dying for those who still had futures ahead of them... I think that simply knowing that you three were safe would be enough for him. Don't blame yourselves for something that isn't your fault."

"But- Golem-" Weiss attempted to choke out a sentence.

"Golem used his own power, not yours. He can use weaker copies of any given power that's within a certain range of him. He didn't use your 'Semblance', but a rip-off of it," Jerloh stated adamantly.

"I- Thank you..." Weiss replied after taking several shaky breaths. "I-" The younger Schnee felt tears drip down her cheeks once again. A pair of small arms wrapped around her waist. Weiss looked down, expecting to see Anise, but was instead greeted by Lex.

"Daddy said that everyone Grandpa saves is meant to be a hero," the young girl said. "And heroes have to help other people, no matter how hard it gets, right?"

"You- You're right," Weiss' crying slowed as she tried to regain her composure. "I'm not honoring Charles' memory by sitting around cry- crying." The younger Schnee sister wiped her eyes with her sleeve and slowly rose so she was standing. After days of remaining mostly stationary, her legs shook under her own body weight. Lex and Jerloh's words seemed to affect Winter as well, the older sister placing a hand over her mouth with an expression halfway between a realization and anguish.

"Auntie Aly said that your Daddy was a Bloodline too right?" Lex turned to Anise, who looked up from her feet. "You'll be the best hero out of everyone!" Anise didn't reply, only nodded her head. She began to think back on her memories with Charles and her own father, though some of the latter was difficult to recall.

"Here, before you three go off to try saving the world, let's get you something to eat and a shower," Jerloh smiled and extended his hand to Weiss. Alyia did the same with Winter. Both Schnee sisters accepted the invitation with sad smiles. Anise was yanked to her feet by an eager Lex, though she still appeared deep in thought. As their group exited the room, Anise found herself stuck on a single thought.

"A hero, huh?"

* * *

As the sun set over Vale, Ruby and Marcia disembarked the transport that had returned them to the academy campus. Both were covered in sweat and grime. There had indeed been Grimm coming in through the South wall, but it had been more of an open flood gate rather than a trickle.

"So, what was your final count?" Marcia asked with a smile. She had to admit that the day had allowed her to relieve a lot of her pent up frustration.

"Fifty-three," Ruby answered readily. "You?"

"Sixty-two," the General answered. "Not bad, Ruby. You've got a lot of skill for someone your age. Guess that's why you and Alex get along so well."

"What do you mean?" the cloaked student hefted Crescent Rose on her shoulder, since its strap had been broken during the day.

"He didn't tell you how old he was when Barnes pulled together the original squad for our division?"

"He might have, but I think I forgot if he did."

"Alex was twenty-five when they assigned him as our squad leader. Only I was younger than he was, at nineteen. Dimitri, Aya, and Derrick were all older. It didn't sit well with everyone at first. We were worried he was going to be a total greenhorn and run us into an ambush on our first mission... But, as it turned out, that wasn't the case, and we slowly learned to trust him and each other."

Marcia noticed Ruby noticeably smile at knowing she and Alex shared a lot in common. The pair walked towards Beacon with smiles on their faces.

"You know," the General continued, "if you work at it, I could see you easily getting better than me."

"Really?" Ruby asked. Marcia opened her mouth to affirm, but the sound of an approaching Bullhead transport drowned her out as it screamed overhead. The aircraft made a sharp rotation, hurriedly landing on the academy landing pad with a heavy thunk.

"Ruby, cover me," Marcia ordered.

"Got it," the student responded, bringing Crescent Rose to her shoulder. Marcia drew her handgun from her waist as she approached the newly-arrived transport. After checking that Ruby had her sights on the craft, Marcia reached out to yank the vehicle's side hatch open by way of a lever. A man with dull orange hair stepped into view, adorned in the armor of a Lord of the Order, a large burn scar across the side of his face. To Ruby's surprise, Marcia lowered her weapon and signaled an all clear. The student decided to trust her newest friend's judgement and stowed her weapon before rushing towards the newcomer's location.

"Well, General," the man said, "I hope that's not how you greet everyone." He noticed Ruby. "Who's this?"

"Right. Ruby," Marcia holstered her weapon and gestured to the man. "This is Ryan Aedus, also known as Ignis, the Bloodline of Flame."

* * *

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	37. Chapter 36

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 36**_

The sudden arrival of the Bullhead transport containing Ignis had drawn more than a little bit of attention from around the Beacon campus. Students and staff had come running to check whether the newcomers were friendly or not.

Among those racing towards the landing pad was Pyrrha, tightly gripping her weapon in her hand. She mentally prepared herself in case there was going to be a fight. Upon arriving at her destination, she was surprised to find a decent crowd of people working to help unload the transport of its weary passengers. Pyrrha allowed herself to relax, realizing that the craft posed no threat.

Suddenly, her eyes met with one of the newly disembarked individuals. Pyrrha felt her spear drop from her grip and she rushed forward to meet the person.

"Father!" the student cried out. The man turned, and Pyrrha threw herself at her parent.

"Pyrrha," Peleus breathed with relief. "You're alive!" The pair of redheaded Mistral residents embraced each other warmly. Peleus held his daughter tightly. "I was so worried... When I saw Vale had been attacked... I was afraid that..." He shook his head.

"Father, why are you here?" Pyrrha asked, releasing her parent from her grasp. "Don't tell me that... our home..." Peleus bowed his head solemnly, confirming his child's fears. "Mother is safe, right?" Pyrrha gripped her father's arms with a desperate look in her eyes. When his expression only fell further, the red-haired student fell to her knees.

"Pyrrha, I'm so sorry, I-" Peleus dropped to the ground as well and hugged his daughter as if he were afraid she would suddenly float away. "I did all I could, please believe me..."

"I know..." Pyrrha nodded weakly and leaned her head against Peleus' shoulder. "I'm sure you did..." The student jumped slightly as an unfamiliar woman with long blood-red hair quietly walked past them to address the small crowd gathered around the landing pad.

"If you aren't helping here, I'm sure you all have better things to do," the woman said commandingly. Sensing the powerful air she gave off, the students who had come to gawk quickly retreated away from the landing pad. The woman turned on her hell to face Peleus and Pyrrha, offer both of them a hand.

"Thank you, Eve," the Mistral Senator said, gladly accepting the woman's assistance. Pyrrha hesitantly took Eve's offered hand, following her father's example. As they stood, Peleus cleared his throat and did his best to readopt a more composed stance. "Perhaps I should introduce you, Pyrrha. This is Eve. Eve, this is my daughter, Pyrrha."

"I-It's a pleasure to meet you," Pyrrha greeted uneasily, still unsure what to make of the woman in front of her.

"Likewise, Pyrrha," Eve replied with a soft expression.

"Eve!" another woman's voice called. Pyrrha noticed an incredibly similar-looking individual waving at them from next to the Bullhead. "Think you lend me a hand?"

"I'll be right there, Elise," Eve answered, just loud enough to be heard. "Peleus, will you be-"

"I'll be fine. I have to go track down Ozpin as soon as I can..." the Senator responded. "I suppose we'll talk later, then."

"Right," Eve nodded. Peleus said one last farewell, before turning towards Beacon to locate the headmaster, Pyrrha at his side to escort him.

"So, how did this come about?" Pyrrha asked, breaking an awkward silence that had hung between her and her father. Her tone had an... edge... to it, something Peleus had never heard before. It sounded like... betrayal? Jealousy?

"I'm not sure I understand what you're asking," the Senator replied cautiously. He'd been in enough arguments with his wife to know when it was a good idea to tread lightly around the women in his family.

"Eve," Pyrrha said sharply. "You two seem awfully close." Internally, the redheaded student had no idea why she was saying what was coming out of her mouth. "I mean, she's already calling you by your first name, and-"

"Pyrrha," Peleus cut his daughter off sternly. "What are you implying?" Pyrrha quickly pulled her father off to the side, stopping behind a pillar.

"I'm saying that Mother is gone, and you're here acting friendly with a brand new-" the student hissed harshly, but stopped when Peleus raised his hand up to his chest.

"Thetis is my beloved wife. She always will be, even in death. Nothing will ever change that," Peleus stated. "Eve is... well, it's complicated. I owe her a debt. Without her, I would likely have died long before reaching Vale. She has done nothing but save my life and ask for little in return."

"I..." Pyrrha stopped to think on her father's words. Her tone still came out harsher than she intended. "I guess I should thank her, then..."

"You don't have to get along with somebody simply because I do," Peleus shook his head. He reached out and embraced his daughter warmly. "You and your mother will always be my family, no matter what. I-"

"Peleus," Ozpin's voice interrupted the pair. The two Mistral residents whirled to find the headmaster standing a short distance away, with another woman at his side, the third one that had arrived with Pyrrha's father. "I was taking Cherri to speak with another... associate... of mine, and she informed me that you were looking to talk as well."

"Yes," Peleus nodded. "It's rather urgent."

"As is what I have to say to you. We have much to discuss," Ozpin gestured for Peleus to follow him. "Miss Nikos, I trust it is acceptable for me to borrow your father. After all, you already know what I am going to tell him." Pyrrha suddenly realized who the woman, "Cherri", was.

"Of course, Professor," the student bobbed her head. "I'll... find something else to do..."

"Thank you," Ozpin replied. "Peleus, if you would follow me..." The Beacon headmaster led Pyrrha's father out of sight. With a sigh, the redheaded girl walked alone around the academy's halls. Her lonesome trek was brought to a sudden halt as she collided with someone. Both Pyrrha and the other individual fell onto their rears.

"My apologies, Pyrrha," Eve said, noticing that it was Peleus' daughter she had run into.

"Were you looking for my father?" Pyrrha asked, her voice was tinged with a slight venom.

"No," Eve shook her head sadly. "General Evans dragged Elise and Ignis off to speak with the rest of their group." Pyrrha suddenly felt some of her unfounded anger towards the woman dissipate.

"You didn't go with them?" the student asked as politely as she could.

"It's not something I felt like interrupting," Eve replied. Pyrrha suddenly felt confused and guilty. Was this woman an outcast even among her friends?

"Isn't Elise your sister? You two look incredibly similar. If so, why wouldn't you go with them?"

"Yes, but I simply feel I wouldn't belong," Eve stated shortly with a shrug. Two pair sat silently on the floor for several moments. Eventually, Eve rose to her feet and offered Pyrrha her hand. "You know, you're a lucky girl Pyrrha."

"What?"

"Peleus really cares about you a lot. Even when we were halfway around the world, he was always thinking about whether or not you might be safe. You should be thankful to have a parent like that." Pyrrha saw many emotions play over Eve's face, pain and... longing... chiefest among them. Knowing the kind of person her father was, Pyrrha suddenly felt she might understand the connection between Eve and Peleus.

"I, uh... I actually should thank you, Miss Eve, for helping my father make it this far," the student said softly. "And... I'm sorry... I suspected there was something going on between you when there wasn't..."

"You're welcome, Pyrrha," Eve said softly, helping the girl to her feet. "But, really, you should be happy. I wish I could say I had a father like yours..."

* * *

Shiro let out a huff of air as she picked her way through the thick woods that sat on the mountains separating Vale from Vacuo. She'd been... a bit overzealous... in her use of her newly-acquired ability to teleport, and had wound up draining her aura to dangerously low levels. She had small cuts on her legs from passing through thorned bushes. With her aura depleted, the wounds remained where they were.

"Hey, you there!" Shiro stopped as a voice shouted out to her. A pair of men dressed in plain armor, wielding a sword and halberd respectively, stepped through the thick underbrush. "Are you lost?"

"You could say that," Shiro put on a winning smile. "I'm trying to work my way to Vale."

"Vale?" the sword-bearing man said. "On foot? On your own!? Aren't you worried about Grimm?"

"I'm capable of handling the occasional Beowolf," Shiro replied. "Ah, but I should introduce myself. My name is Shiro."

"I'm Rojo," the swordsman replied with a slight accent. "My silent friend here is Gris. We're the local Huntsmen for a frontier town not far from here."

"It's nice to meet you," Shiro said sweetly. "I couldn't bother you to point me towards my destination, could I?"

"Well, it's getting dark..." Rojo looked at the setting sun. "How about this, we can take you back to our town and you can stay a night. Once you're rested and fed, we can set you on your way. You look like you've been through hell and back, if you don't mind me saying."

"That would be nice," Shiro nodded, making sure to maintain her smiling demeanor. "It's been a rather long trip so far, it would be rude of me to turn down such a generous offer."

The pair of Huntsmen guided Shiro to their town, a small settlement of only around thirty buildings tucked away into an outcropping in the side of a tall mountain. The pale woman made mental notes about the scenery around her, idly admiring the hard work that had gone into making this town a reality.

Rojo quickly helped set Shiro up with a room and meal in his own home. She politely introduced herself to the Huntsman's wife, but it was the man's daughter that caught her attention. The girl, perhaps only nine years old, sat in a corner with a set of tiny Dust crystals in her hands. Curious, Shiro edged closer to see what she was doing while her parents were busy preparing food.

"Hi there," she smiled. "What're you up to?"

"Nothing," the girl hurriedly stuffed the small crystals in her pockets.

"It looked like you had some interesting Dust there," Shiro pressed. "Would you mind if I took a look?" Hesitantly, the young girl nodded and pulled the crystals out in her palm. Instead of the solid colors that Dust tended to take, the small clear stones shifted with multiple hues. "How interesting. How did you do this?"

"I- I made them," the girl answered. "Daddy got me a regular set of crystals, and I found out I could move the energy around between them..."

"Your Semblance?" Shiro asked.

"Yeah... but I found out that it wasn't just Dust... I accidentally crushed one of Mommy's plants, and so I... fixed it... by taking power from the other plants and helping the hurt one..."

"So you can drain aura," Shiro smiled. "I'll let you in on a secret." The pale woman knelt down to whisper to the little girl. "I can do something like that too. Don't tell anyone, though."

"Did you ever... hurt someone with your Semblance?" the girl squeaked quietly.

"Once or twice," Shiro answered. "Did you?"

"Umber was being mean, so I pushed her..." the small girl nodded. "We ended up fighting... and now she can't use all her aura anymore... and I... I'm stronger now..."

"Hmm," Shiro said thoughtfully. "What's your name?"

"Niji," the girl answered quickly.

"Well, Niji, I'll make you a deal. I won't say anything about your Semblance if you don't say anything about mine. And to seal the agreement, I'll give you a gift."

"A gift?"

"Here," Shiro held out her hand, which the girl took carefully. Shiro concentrated, offering up one of the weakest powers she possessed, the small portion of ice control she had taken off the black-armored woman she had injured back in Vale. Energy flowed from the pale woman into the girl. "Alright, give it a shot."

Niji hesitantly triggered her new ability, firing a tiny puff of snowflakes into the air. She smiled at the appealing display.

"Thank you, Miss..." the girl said.

"Just remember, don't tell anyone about this," Shiro smiled.

"Hey, you two, dinner's ready," Rojo called cheerily. Shiro and Niji joined the girl's parents at the table, and happily dug into their food. Shiro took her time to watch Niji carefully. Internally, she smiled as the girl dug ravenously into her meal. She knew that she had planted the seeds of a much greater hunger in the girl. There weren't many like the two of them, but it was up to the chosen few to inherit Remnant.

Shiro decided not to make herself known in this town. She'd depart the next day quietly and continue her way towards Vale. After all, she needed to leave the town for Niji.

* * *

"This presents a problem..." Ozpin muttered. A large group filled the headmaster's office, standing around in a loose circle. Peleus had just finished recounting the events in Mistral for a second time, so the residents of Earth were aware of their enemy's location. However, the issue remained on how to proceed.

"Regardless of the final decision," Peleus said, "I will have to return to Mistral. I cannot leave the men and women there to fight alone."

"I will go with you, Father," Pyrrha stated from where she stood a short distance away. "I can't leave our home to suffer."

"The issue remains," Ironwood replied, "neither Vale or Atlas is in any position to lend Mistral troops. Vacuo _might_ , but we have no way to contact them at the moment without the communication towers..." Uncomfortable silence filled the headmaster's office. Everyone seemed to agree that letting Peleus and Pyrrha leave to fight the Order alone was not an appropriate course of action, but they couldn't simply depart for Mistral with Shiro roaming around unchecked.

"I have a suggestion..." Jerloh raised his hand to get the rooms attention. "You might not like it though."

"I believe we'd be willing to hear any ideas at this time," Ozpin answered wearily. Ruby made a mental note of how much older the headmaster appeared for a moment from her spot against the wall next to the door. Blake and Weiss seemed to notice as well from their positions beside their team leader. Yang was absent, apparently watching over Ryland in the infirmary.

"In order for us to beat both opponents we're facing, we may have to split up," Jerloh outlined. "Of the people in this room, more than a few are experienced with the war back on Earth. If we were to take all of them, we might be able to fight the Order effectively."

"Wait," Weiss said, "You're suggesting that you mount an attack with..." She quickly counted off from the people around her. "nineteen people?"

"Not sure where you got nineteen from, Weiss," Jerloh replied. "Myself, Alyia, Ryan, Eve, Elise, Arthur, Alex, Dimitri, and Marcia. That's nine. Peleus and Pyrrha makes eleven. Luna and Firo makes thirteen."

"Fourteen," Cinder cut in. "You forgot me."

"Right," Weiss replied. "Then Ruby, Yang, Blake, Winter, and I make nineteen."

"Whoa there," the Terror Inheritor said, "No one said anything about that."

"We can help!" Blake said pleadingly. "You can't ask us to just wait around when our friends might die!"

"Right!" Ruby stated firmly. "We helped against Vortex and Chaos before, we can help again now!"

"Jerloh," Alex got the Bloodline's attention, "Ruby and her team have proven time and time again that they're capable of taking care of themselves... However..." The blond soldier turned to face Ruby specifically. "You realize that this means you might have to-"

"I know," the cloaked girl answered. "I don't like it, but I know..."

"Miss Rose," Ozpin said softly. "There is no need for you or your friends to put yourselves in this position if you are unsure of whether you will be capable of taking a life."

"No," Weiss stated, "we have to. As Huntresses, it is our duty to protect Remnant and its people from all threats, be it Grimm or not."

"Running and hiding would accomplish nothing," Blake added. "We want to help our friends."

"We aren't asking to fight a Lord in single combat," Ruby stood as tall as she could, looking at the people around her with determination. "We're asking to make sure the people we care about come home." Varying looks crossed over the faces of the other occupants of the room. Alyia and Ryan both adopted looks of being a mix of worried and unconvinced. Expressions of surprise were plastered on the faces of the headmaster, Ironwood, and the pair of Maidens that were gathered behind Ozpin's desk. Peleus and Pyrrha were giving the girls gratitude filled looks, and Ruby distinctly noticed something akin to pride flash over the three EDC troopers' faces. Jerloh's expression was unreadable for several moments, but then he began to laugh.

"Well, it would be hypocritical of me to keep trying to shoot you down if you're all that determined," the Bloodline chuckled.

"As much as we appreciate your offers of help," Marcia said, "I feel like you should all think this over a little more carefully first. We won't be able to depart for Mistral for a while still... Ruby, not just you and your team, but everyone in this room should think this over before we leave. When we're ready, if you are still determined to go at that point..." Marcia sighed, "then there's nothing we can really do to stop you, at least according to Alex."

"Thank you," Ruby bowed slightly as a show of gratitude. "We'll be sure to do everything we can." The student suddenly noticed that some of the other occupants of the room appeared uneasy as a result of Marcia's words. Winter was holding onto Anise tightly, and Arthur and Emerald both appeared anxious. Suddenly, the door to Ozpin's office flew open, causing the people within to jump. Ryland stepped over the threshold with Yang right behind him. Bandages were still wrapped around the young soldier's chest, creating noticeable lines underneath his shirt.

"Yang and I went looking for you guys to ask whether you were up for dinner," Ryland said. Ruby noticed some of his original flair had returned to his voice. "No one said anything about a meeting."

"Yeah," Yang added, closing the door behind her, "what's going on?"

"We are discussing the proper course of action in dealing with the Order and Shiro," Ozpin answered.

"Alright, how come we didn't get an invitation, then?" Ryland asked.

"That was my fault," Alex answered. "I thought since you were still injured that you wouldn't be able to come with us. I also assumed that Yang would end up staying with you no matter what, so I didn't tell either of you."

"Damn, that's cold, Bossman," Ryland smirked. "Still, I kinda get where you're coming from there. But, like hell I'm going to let Carbon's killer just walk away. Down an arm or not, you can count on me wherever you need me."

"You're sure?" Dimitri inquired, eying Ryland's bandages. "You _can_ sit this one out."

"I'm sure, Sarge," the young soldier answered. "As long as the Order poses a threat to Remnant, I'll do everything I can to help take them down."

"Alex was right about one thing," Yang spoke up. "I _am_ staying with Ry, no matter what. So you'd better count me in too."

"Very well, then," Ozpin let out a deep breath. "Mr. Greene... I will leave the creation of a force to assist in the retaking of Mistral to you and your companions. However, now we must discuss how we are to deal with Shiro."

"We can handle that," Amber said, gesturing to herself and Cherri. "If we were to track down the remaining Maiden, our combined strength should be able to defeat her."

"No, that is unacceptable. If Shiro proves too strong-" Ironwood started.

"It would be no different than if she beat us here in Vale," Cherri said. "If she wins, she'll take our powers, regardless of where it is. At least if we're out in the wilderness, we can use our full strength without worrying about hurting people..."

"Exactly," Amber explained, "if we were to send a whole army after Shiro, it would leave Vale exposed to Grimm attacks. If we were to wait for her here, Cherri and I would be unable to use all the power at our disposal to fight for fear of harming people in the city. If we do this in the way I suggest, we stand a greater chance of defeating her." The pair of Maidens watched Ozpin and Ironwood tortuously ponder whether Amber's idea was the correct course of action. Even the Fall Maiden knew her plan was incredibly risky, and would be disastrous if it failed. The Beacon headmaster placed his head in his hands.

"It seems we have little in terms of alternatives..." he sighed. "Unfortunately, I believe Amber is correct... our best chances of stopping Firo will be if the three remaining Maidens fight her directly away from civilians..."

"I... agree," Ironwood nodded slowly. "When would you be ready to depart?"

"It shouldn't take long," Amber answered. "With Cherri's help, I could be ready leave in a day or two."

"If that is the case, there is no time to delay. Both groups should begin preparations to leave immediately." At the Atlesian Genreal's words, the gathering in the room dispersed. All the occupants exited the office, quickly running off in different directions towards their respective goals.

* * *

Cherri stopped as she exited the headmaster's office, feeling a hand tap itself against her shoulder. She turned to find Ryan standing behind her, silhouetted in the moonlight that filtered in through the Academy's windows.

"So," the Bloodline said. "I guess this is it."

"What do you mean?" Cherri asked fearfully.

"I mean that this is where we part ways," Ryan answered solemnly. "Even if we defeat the Order in Mistral, chances are that the rest of our time will be spent trying to get home. Since it sounds like you and Amber will be leaving soon, I thought that I needed to express my gratitude before I no longer have the opportunity to."

"You know," Cherri smiled, "You could always come with us to fight Shiro. I wouldn't mind your company a while longer."

"As much as I'd like to..." Ryan looked at his feet for a moment. "I know where I'm needed. The Order currently has five of its Lords in Mistral. If I were to leave to fight with you, it would leave the attacking force with only four Bloodlines of their own." The Bloodline of Flame held his hand out to the Maiden. "Thank you, Cherri. For saving my life and watching my back all this way... but now, we each have our own battles to fight, and our paths seem intended to split here..." Cherri gently reached out and weakly shook the ex-Lord's hand. With a final nod of his head, Ryan released the Maiden's palm from his grasp.

As he walked away, Cherri opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came. She reached her hand out towards his retreating form, but could not move her feet to chase him. She placed the hand he had held against her chest. Her heart seemed to slow and felt cold and heavy. Cherri shook her head, reminding herself silently that the Bloodline already had a home... it just wasn't with her...

"Goodbye..."

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **Alright, we are slowly working ou** **r** **way towards the end.**

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	38. Chapter 37

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 37**_

Melody yawned and rose from where she lay on a tattered carpet. She looked down at Chaos, who was still sleeping peacefully next to her. It had been over a week since Shiro had attacked her, but with no destination in mind, the two had stayed in Mountain Glenn. The silver-haired girl stretched once before laying back down on her back, staring at the ceiling. As her eyes traced over the aging cracks and mildew around them, her thoughts began to wander.

Melody looked over at Chaos' resting form again. In the three months since she had met the Bloodline, her life had taken all sorts of twists and turns that she hadn't expected. She turned onto her side, curling up beside the white-haired boy. Ever since the night that she had broken down in his arms, Melody and Chaos hadn't strayed far from each other.

Melody let out a soft sigh as she edged closer to the ex-Lord for warmth. While the two of them had become quite close, the silver-haired girl realized that she actually knew more about the Bloodline than he did about her. Of course, it didn't help that _she_ barely knew anything about herself.

Melody gently placed a hand over one of Chaos' arms, softly brushing against the scabbed wounds that covered them. Whatever power Chess had tapped into was something Melody never wanted to see him use again. It was clearly powerful, but if simply activating it had left his body damaged... she didn't want to think what would happen if he was forced to fight for an extended period.

 _Don't worry, Melody. Chess has survived war worse injuries than a few holes in his arms._ Mini's voice echoed in the silver-haired girl's head. Melody kept forgetting that the smaller version of Chess could speak to her whenever she was touching the older one.

"I'm not sure I want to know what that means..." Melody whispered quietly.

 _I sense that something is troubling you._ Mini stated. _But it's not about his injuries, is it?_

"I... I guess I feel guilty... about not telling Chess anything about me. He's done his best to explain Earth so that I could understand him better... but I haven't done any of that."

 _He doesn't particularly care, you know._ Mini's ghostly child form appeared out of thin air, sitting down cross-legged on the side of Chaos opposite of where Melody lay. _Chess is more concerned with keeping you safe at the moment._ Melody's cheeks took on a slight red tinge.

"R-really..." Melody avoided Mini's gaze, before remembering that the boy wasn't _actually_ there. "H-he said that?"

 _Well, not to me directly, but I know._ Mini shrugged.

"Right..." Melody nodded slightly, "because you and Chess are the same person..."

 _I sense you haven't fully grasped the meaning of those words?_ Mini asked. The specter's tone was patient. _I realize that the wording could have been better, but I wanted Chess to figure everything out himself._

"Has he?"

 _No, not yet anyway. Would you like me to explain it to you?_

"Ye-" Melody stopped suddenly. "Actually... no... That would be wrong... if I knew something about Chess that even he didn't."

 _Well, he does know. The issue is that his mind is suffering from over a decade of damage, and as a result, he is having trouble remembering and accepting what he knows. He will need to face his past sooner or later._

"I can't force him to do that," Melody shook her head against the dusty carpet. "Especially when I..." She shook her head again. "And besides, when he said he didn't want to get rid of his past, didn't he face it?"

 _No. What he did was end up locking his past away. That's fine in the short term... but in the long run... Well, let's just say he can only avoid it for so long._

"You're talking about the other voice," Melody said.

 _Yes, that is correct._ Mini sighed. _Be glad you have not been exposed to her._

"Who is she?"

 _That woman is... our mother... In life, she was a detestable and cruel Human being, and in death, she's no different._ Melody heard a twinge of rage edge its way into Mini's voice. Suddenly, something caught her eye. Mini idly reached over his right shoulder to rub at something, and Melody captured a glimpse of what looked like a large bloody wound wrapping itself around his body.

"Are you alright?" Melody whispered urgently.

 _Oh?_ Mini seemed genuinely surprised. _You saw? Yes, I'm fine._ The small boy smiled. _I'm not real in a physical sense, remember? And even if I was, this is old, nothing to worry about._

 _"_ But then why are they..." Melody trailed off. Mini's shirt began to sprout dark splotches.

 _Our mother is attempting to escape._ Mini wheezed and gripped his chest. _I... will go deal with this._ Melody watched in stunned horror as Mini's once-white shirt quickly became a blood-soaked rag on his body. Then, the ghost of the boy vanished into thin air. Melody stared at the air where he had been, her eyes still wide in shock. Suddenly, something clicked in her head. Melody began to shake Chaos frantically.

"Hrm? What?" the Bloodline mumbled as his eyes fluttered open. "Melody? What's-"

"I need you to take off your shirt," she said abruptly.

"What?" Chaos eyed her oddly for a moment, before noticing the massive amount of fear in her expression. "Why?"

"Just- Just... please..." Melody whimpered. As the ex-Lord hesitantly complied with her request, Melody's heart raced in trepidation. She had figured out what Mini had meant about him and Chess being the same person.

Chaos placed his armor's chestplate on the floor of the room. Melody suddenly grabbed his shirt and lifted it off him in one fluid motion. Her heart froze in her chest. For the first time, she became aware of how small and thin Chess was. Without his armor, the Bloodline appeared deathly ill, nearing skeletal in figure. Little to no muscle adorned his limbs or chest, but that wasn't what Melody had been looking for. She reached out a hand, causing Chess to flinch lightly at her touch. All across his flesh were scars. Hundreds of them, standing out clearly against his pale skin. They crossed, weaved, and curved everywhere across his back and chest, and traveled a good ways down his arms. Many of the wounds looked like they had never healed properly, with raised, knotted skin dotting Chess' back.

Melody leaned forward and hugged the ex-Lord tightly from behind, pressing her cheek against the scar-ridden skin on his back. Chaos felt a tear drip onto his exposed flesh.

"Melody?" he said. "What's-" She turned him around and hugged his front. Hesitantly, the Bloodline returned her embrace, causing a warm sensation to flow across him.

"Chess..." Melody whispered. "I... I don't care what happened to you before we met... I- I won't leave you, okay?"

"Okay," Chaos nodded slowly, still unclear as to what was going on. The silver-haired girl held him tighter in her arms. Melody finally understood what Mini was. He _was_ Chess, just like he had said... but more specifically, the boy was the embodiment of the tortured soul in the older Chess' body. The open wounds on Mini's body, perfectly corresponding to scars on Chess'... The small boy was quite literally the scars that would never heal.

* * *

"So, provided nothing has changed since you left Mistral..." Cinder muttered, looking down at a map of the Eastern Kingdom. Peleus stood beside her with Pyrrha, the student watching the two adults plan out their assault on the Order. "Would the optimal route be through the Residential District or the Commercial..." The black-haired woman placed her hand under her chin thoughtfully.

"The taller buildings in the Residential District would have generally better cover," Peleus supplied, "but the Order has likely set up fortifications to take advantage of that for their own purposes..."

"Hmm... Perhaps if we-"

"Is Pyrrha in here?" Ruby's head popped through the room's door.

"Yes, I'm right here," the Mistral girl answered quickly.

"Can I borrow you for a sec?" Ruby asked.

"What for?"

"It's a surprise. Just come on." Pyrrha looked to her father, who gave her a dismissive wave.

"Miss Fall and I can handle this, Pyrrha," Peleus said softly. "Go with your friend." The redheaded student nodded her head in acknowledgment and followed Ruby out the door.

"Even though it'll probably be better defended, I think the abundance of cover and alternate routes in the Residential area would prove the best option," Cinder continued. "Plus, the sewer system is there in a pinch as an emergency escape route."

"The Commercial District would allow for a larger force to move through more quickly though," Peleus argued.

"It would, but I'm planning under the assumption that the Mistral forces would be unable to assist us. If we establish an absolute worst-case scenario first, and formulate a plan around that, our job will become easier as we add more troops," Cinder replied shortly.

"I see," the Senator nodded. "Well, in that case..."

* * *

"Here, could you angle it towards me a little?" Ryland asked. Yang obliged quickly, adjusting the disconnected segments of Ryland's prosthetic arm. The soldier was wielding a welding tool in his right hand, working on putting the destroyed limb back together while Yang helped him hold the thing still. "Thanks." A small shower of sparks jumped and bounced off the worktable the pair was standing at. "Hey Gramps, think you could hand me the-" Ryland stopped and flinched.

"I know," Yang said softly, picking up the tool she knew her boyfriend was looking for. She held the small wrench out to him. "I keep forgetting Carbon's gone too."

"Yeah..." Ryland sighed. "He'd be pissed if he knew we we're this bummed out over him, wouldn't he?"

"He'd probably say something about how we should 'stop moping over an old man and get working'. Or something like that," Yang smiled.

"Sounds about right," Ryland smirked, using the wrench to tighten a series of small bolts on the arm. He stifled a loud yawn.

"Do you need a break?" Yang inquired gently. "We've been at this since this morning, and we missed lunch."

"I need to get this thing finished ASAP," the young soldier answered. "Fighting aside, I need two hands to start helping out with fixing up the Corvette."

"I'm sure that the others can get it running again," the blonde student patted her boyfriend on the back.

"Well, I'm the only EDC-qualified engineer left in Remnant... So until that hunk of junk gets the 'Felstrand Seal of Approval', it's not going anywhere."

"So," Ryland saw an impish smirk spread across Yang's face, "you'll be making sure everything's in... _ship-shape_?" The orange-haired soldier chuckled.

"That was terrible," he laughed. "Please never become a comedian."

"Really? I think most people would pay an _arm_ and a leg to see me on stage," Yang's smile only grew. Ryland shook his head, but kept laughing.

"We're on the brink of battle, and you're cracking jokes," the solider guffawed.

"You know you love me for it," Yang tilted her head to the side innocently. "Besides, I need to get it all out of my system now."

"Can it wait until after we're done repairing my arm?"

"No promises."

* * *

"So, what do you think of Marcia?" Luna asked dejectedly, laying her cheek against a cool metal table. She and Firo had been in the process of sorting through salvageable equipment, but were taking a quick break from pulling extra sets of armor and weapons out from the mess of crates before them. Apparently, the Order had also located the storage room that the EDC had converted into a makeshift armory, and had taken pleasure is dismantling it with a handful of grenades. Thankfully, a majority of the equipment stored seemed to have survived, with the exception of one corner where there had been a box of explosives.

"She's a bit rough..." Firo replied, taking a seat across from Luna, "but I think she's a good person."

"Wish she'd stop dragging Alex off..." Luna pouted.

"Wait," Firo's single rabbit ear twitched emphatically. "Luna, are you jealous of her?"

" _No_ ," the azure-haired woman answered unconvincingly. Firo quirked an eyebrow at her. "Maybe a little... You can't tell me you're not a little annoyed with Dimitri spending so much time with her too."

"Not at all," Firo shook her head, rabbit ear flopping back and forth. "I trust Dimitri. Don't you trust Alex?"

"Of course!" Luna said louder than she had intended. "But I don't trust _her_."

"Luna, you're an adult. You're a bit too old to be thinking like this," Firo chastised her friend as gently as she could. "I understand that you love Alex a lot, but you can't worry about absolutely everything he does."

"I know..." Luna sighed, pressing her face against the table. "It's just that... Alex is the first person I've ever been... _together_... with... and I'm afraid of it ending..."

"And that's fine," Firo said placatingly. "You just need to do your part to keep the relationship going, and trust that Alex will-"

"What about me?" the blond soldier in question poked his head through the door.

"Nothing!" Luna shot up so she was sitting straight. Her face had turned a rather vivid shade of red. "Nothing at all!"

"Of course," Dimitri's voice replied as the Russian himself stepped into the room behind Alex. "Marcia got called off to talk with Peleus and Cinder, so we figured we'd come give you both a hand."

"Thought it was a bit wrong that we hadn't spent too much time with either of you," Alex rubbed the back of his head apologetically. Firo walked over to Dimitri and gave him a quick kiss in greeting. Alex sputtered a bit as Luna threw her arms around his neck with surprising force.

"You're forgiven," the azure-haired woman muttered.

"Uh... should we come back later?" Ruby's voice interjected. The two couples turned towards the door to find Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha standing in the entryway. Ruby and Blake had knowing looks of amusement on their faces, while the other two girls seemed to be doing their best to avoid making direct eye contact with the occupants of the room.

"Er, no. Come on in, Ruby," Alex said sheepishly. "Did you all need something?"

"We were looking to get Pyrrha and Weiss each a set of armor if you've got any spares floating around. And Blake and I both need replacement parts for ours," Ruby answered quickly.

"The suit of armor I received before is still back in Atlas," Weiss supplied, seeming eager to move the conversation away from the scene they had walked in on. "I didn't have time to grab it before we evacuated."

"We're probably going to have to set Winter up with a replacement as well then..." Dimitri nodded. "But let's get all of you out of the way first. Albi, how are we doing on-"

"Luna and I have retrieved four undamaged sets of armor, and several dozen damaged ones," Firo reported with a smile.

"Can you two help Pyrrha and Weiss get fitted?" Alex asked. "D and I can help Ruby and Blake scavenge replacement segments off the damaged sets."

"Sure thing," Luna smiled. As the two soldiers went off to the side, Luna picked up a pair of the fully-functional sets of armor. Weiss, having worn one before, easily slipped into the mixture of cloth and metal. She stood calmly as the armor's plating and sleeves shifted to fit her form. The Schnee quickly pressed a button on the gauntlet covering her right forearm, causing the suit to adopt the same color scheme as her clothes underneath.

"That's a very impressive set of armor," Pyrrha nodded as Luna moved to help her into the second suit. The Mistral student felt extremely exposed as she removed her traditional armor to make way for the Titanium-alloy plating and cloth of the EDC.

"Okay, fair warning, I'm going to have it refit itself to you," Luna said, opening a panel on the back of Pyrrha's chestplate.

"Why would you need to warn-" Pyrrha let out a high-pitched "eep" as the armor and cloth tightened around her body. After a few moments, the suit's grip on her loosened and the plating shifted into its proper arrangement. "That was... unpleasant..." Pyrrha rolled her shoulders, and suddenly felt the need to check whether she was actually wearing the armor. "It's... really _light_."

"Yep, you're wearing the pride and joy of a very talented group of engineers," Alex said, returning with Dimitri and the newly reequipped Ruby and Blake. "Well, it's not official in any capacity, but welcome to the EDC, Pyrrha. Glad to have you on board."

* * *

Chaos scratched the back of his head with a free arm, as Melody protectively gripped the other. The pair had left the safety of the apartment building they had been hiding in to scrounge for food. They took a meandering patch through the tall buildings of Mountain Glenn, eventually arriving at a particularly overgrown building. From what Chaos and Melody had been able to gather, the skyscraper had once been a research organization dedicated to creating high-yield, fast-growing crops by using Dust. The nuances of how this might have been accomplished was far beyond either of them. Even though the skyscraper itself was long abandoned, with the employees long dead or fled, many of their creations seemed to have survived. Tall, twisted trees burst through the skyscraper's broken windows, reaching for the setting sunlight.

Chaos and Melody scanned the area. While the old building was a prime source of sustenance for them, it seemed to also have attracted a rather sizable flock of Griffons, fairly large Grimm that resembled the creatures from Earth's old myths. With Melody, they were invisible, but the flock's presence was the primary reason they hadn't stayed in the skyscraper itself.

Upon determining the area seemed to be clear of Grimm for the moment, Chaos came to a halt and closed his eyes. In a split second, he and Melody vanished from the road and reappeared on one of the building's upper floors. The Bloodline and his companion went to work, gathering as many fruits and vegetables as they could shove into Melody's bag and carry in their arms. When they had filled up on plants, Melody once again gripped Chaos' hand. With another brief moment of concentration, the pair reappeared on the street at the base of the skyscraper.

They slowly worked their way back towards the apartment building, passing a trio of young Nevermores fighting over the corpse of some rodent that had crawled out from the sewers beneath the city. The pair carefully stepped over the broken glass that littered the entryway, the material cracking lightly under their shoes. As they neared the room they had claimed, Chaos suddenly held up his hand.

"You didn't leave the door open, did you?" the Bloodline whispered. Melody quickly confirmed that their room's entrance was indeed ajar.

"I'm sure I closed it..." Melody answered in a hushed voice. She gulped. Chaos closed his eyes. He had never been the best at detecting energy signatures, which was part of the reason Guardians arriving to reinforce the EDC had caught him off guard more than once during the war. The Bloodline was able to perceive two distinct signatures within the room, both exceedingly powerful. However, it wasn't Shiro, which was the entity he was most worried about sensing. Still, he and Melody had uninvited guests.

"I'll go in first... see if they're hostile or not," Chaos whispered.

"And if they are?" Melody asked.

"Then I'll make sure they don't hurt you," he answered. The silver-haired girl slowly nodded her head, clearly sensing the underlying implication that if someone attempted to harm her, Chess would rip them apart with no hesitation. As much as Melody hoped that they could avoid conflict, there was something about hearing her companion promise to protect her that caused a small thrill of happiness to flutter in her heart.

Chaos pushed his way into the apartment, two of his dark blades rising from his shadow in preparation for an attack. The Bloodline suddenly found himself face-to-face with a pair of women. One was tanned, with scars running down the left side of her face. The other was a fair-skinned woman with dull-red hair in a braid and earthy-green eyes.

"Um... You're not... a girl..." the redheaded woman said nervously. She flinched as one of Chaos' blades hovered menacingly behind him. The other woman readied a staff at her side.

"Who are you?" Chaos demanded, narrowing his eyes.

"We're here looking for Melody," the fair-skinned woman explained frantically. "My name is Cherri, and this is Amber."

"Chess?" Melody poked her head in the room. "What's happening?"

"Are you Melody?" Amber asked, warily eying the Bloodline standing in front of her. "We need to talk to you." The silver-haired girl took a few steps forward and placed a calming hand on Chaos' shoulder. Hesitantly, he withdrew his blades, and the tension in the room disappeared. Cherri let out a sigh of relief. The four occupants of the room stood in a loose circle on the aging carpet.

"Here," Melody offered the two women some of the fruit she and Chaos had gathered.

"Thank you," Cherri did her best to smile as she accepted an apple, but she could feel Chaos' eyes digging into her and Amber. "Um... we're not here to fight..." If anything, the Maiden of Spring now felt like the Bloodline was watching her _more_ carefully.

"Chess, it's okay... I think," Melody said placatingly. "If they were working with Shiro, they probably wouldn't have waited for us. They'd have attacked us when we were outside."

"I'll still be keeping an eye on both of them," the ex-Lord replied.

"Anyway," Melody said, biting into a peach. "Why are you two looking for _me_?"

"Well, the first thing is..." Amber replied, "are you aware of the power you wield?" Melody's expression suddenly became sad and darkened.

"You mean my _curse_?" the girl inquired.

"It's not a curse," Amber answered. "It's a gift, and a-"

"I _really_ don't see it that way," Melody countered. "This... whatever it is... I lost everything because of it... That's not a gift."

"I..." Amber trailed off. She exchanged a look with Cherri. "Melody, do you know the story of the Maidens?"

"That's sort of sudden, but yes, my mom used to tell it to me all the time," the girl nodded slowly. "Why?"

"Would you believe me... if I told you that the Maidens were real?" Amber asked.

"If you'd asked me that three months ago... I would have said 'no'... But ever since I met Chess," Melody placed her hand over Chaos' as she said his name, "I think I've come to accept there are powerful entities out there."

"Well, Amber and I are both Maidens," Cherri smiled. "And... uh... judging from the energy he's giving off... your friend, Chess... he's a 'Bloodline', right?"

"You're _what_?" Melody asked, ignoring Cherri's second question entirely.

"Cherri is telling the truth," Amber nodded. "She is the current Maiden of Spring, and I am the Maiden of Fall."

"But then, why are you looking for me?" Melody questioned. She had a sinking feeling she knew the answer.

"That's because you are one of us," Amber answered seriously. "Melody, you are the newest bearer of the power of the Maiden of Winter. Shiro, the woman who attacked you, has stolen the powers of the Summer Maiden and part of my own. We need your help in order to defeat-"

"No!" Melody shook her head vigorously. Her peach fell from her hands and bounced off the floor. "I- I can't! Even if I am a Maiden, I can't even control my power!"

"Melody," Cherri tried her best to speak soothingly, "I understand that this might be a shock to you, but you're the only one capable of helping us. Remnant itself is in danger."

"I..." Melody looked at the ground. "I don't even have a choice... do I?"

"Of course you do," Amber said softly. "But we need you to understand the impact that your answer has."

"But I-" the silver-haired girl's eyes filled with panic, "I don't know what to do! I-" A calm sensation suddenly washed over her. Melody glanced down to find Chess tightly gripping her hand. Silently, the Bloodline seemed to say that he would follow her no matter what decision she made.

"I'm sorry that this was so sudden..." Cherri apologized and bowed her head.

"I- I wi-" Melody squeezed Chess' hand and took a deep breath. "I'm not strong... but I want to help if I can..." The ex-Lord nodded his head almost imperceptibly. "Can... the two of you... help me control my power?"

"Of course," Amber answered. "We will do everything we can to help you before we fight Shiro."

"We'll have to work as we move though..." Cherri added. "We plan to fight Shiro far away from and Kingdom or settlement if we can... That way, there's less of a chance of someone getting hurt."

"I understand..." Melody bobbed her head up and down, causing her long, silver bangs to fall in front of her eyes. A collective sigh passed through the three Maidens. Their first meeting had been significantly more stressful than anticipated. However, with that out of the way, the four occupants of the dingy apartment dug into the produce that had been gathered.

Cherri suddenly noticed something. Chess would occasionally flinch when he moved his left arm. The Spring Maiden reached out and took his hand, causing the Bloodline to jump slightly at the abrupt contact.

"You're injured?" Cherri guessed. "May I?"

"It's nothing," Chess answered, tearing his hand away from the Maiden's grasp. The sleeve of his shirt fell, revealing the numerous puncture wounds dotting his limb.

"That doesn't look like nothing!" Cherri cried urgently. She grabbed the young Bloodline's arm again, and proceeded to use her power to heal every wound she could find, patting down the confused ex-Lord in search of further injuries. Chess blinked in surprise at the amount of genuine concern that the redheaded woman was displaying. "What is it with you Bloodlines and being stubborn!?" Cherri demanded. "At least three of those wounds were already infected!"

"I..." Chess trailed off, still recovering from what had just transpired. Amber and Melody suddenly began to laugh at the utterly befuddled expression on the boy's face.

"Usually, you'd say 'thank you' to the person who just saved you from having your arms amputated," Cherri huffed, though it was clear she was amused at the Bloodline's face as well.

"R-right... Thanks." Chess replied. Despite the fact they were laughing at him, the Bloodline felt a twinge of amusement enter his chest as well. Once the Maidens had settled down again, Cherri and Amber began to outline their plan to Melody in greater detail. With their path set, the Maidens and one Bloodline exited the apartment building and began their journey in search of their enemy.

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **One group is away. Second is soon to follow. I am still writing out chapters as quickly as my feeble hands can type them.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

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	39. Chapter 38

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 38**_

"You okay down there, Ryland?" Alex called as he worked on top of the Corvette. They had gathered anyone they knew with technical experience to assist in repairing the EDC spacecraft. The process had not been easy so far. The Order had done their best to destroy the craft short of blowing it up. Wires and panels were ripped open across the entire ship, occasionally releasing showers of sparks. Almost half of the electronics on the bridge appeared to have been fried by someone with by a Lightning Aura, and would need to be replaced.

"It's a bit hard with one arm, think you can lend me yours?" Ryland shouted through a large hole in the bridge's forward viewing panel. Alex dropped down through the hole to help the younger soldier. The pair quickly went to work, Ryland guiding Alex through what needed to be fixed or torn out of the command console he was working on.

"I thought Yang was helping you repair your arm," Alex said, not taking his eyes off his work.

"She was," Ryland nodded. "That connector needs to go one slot over to the left. But, yeah, I woke up this morning and I couldn't find her."

"Did you piss her off?" Alex inquired.

"I don't think so..." Ryland put his hand under his chin. "Maybe she's doing something with Ruby?"

"Now that you mention it," Alex added, "I don't think I saw Ruby today either. She was volunteering to help out with the Corvette just the other day..."

"Well, whatever it is, they're probably fine," Ryland shrugged.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm a little concerned about Ruby," Alex replied. "If they don't turn up later, we're going to have to go looking for them."

"I kinda _can't_ worry about Yang anymore..." the younger soldier chuckled. "Considering that I heard she went toe-to-toe with that Europa chick... it's a bit hard to worry about someone when they were able to hold off a Bloodline."

"I talked to Jerloh about that actually," Alex nodded slightly, using a welding tool to reattach a bundle of wires to their proper homes. "It sounds like Europa has more power than she was actually displaying during her attack. That ice maze was apparently the least of what she could do, it just turns out that she's a bit... lazy."

"Well, she _did_ attack us with a bunch of clones at first," Ryland replied. He reached out to press a new computer chip into a slot in the console, when a flash and geyser of sparks erupted around him. "Gah! Crap!" Ryland patted out a section of his empty sleeve that had caught fire. The young soldier sighed at seeing the scorch marks covering the console. "Damn it..."

"Need to take a break?" Alex asked. "You've been at this since breakfast. The ship's not going anywhere."

"Nah, I can keep going. We need this thing ready to fly before the Order makes their next move, whatever it is."

"If you say so," Alex sighed. "Just don't push yourself too hard. The last thing we need is for you to reopen the stitches in your chest."

"Well, if nothing else, I'd die a hole-y man." Ryland snickered as Alex gave him a look of mock exasperation.

"Did you just take an opportunity to make a pun from me?" Yang's voice announced in false horror. "Ry, how could you?" The pair of soldiers turned to find Ruby and Yang standing in the doorway onto the bridge, the older sister placing a hand dramatically over her heart.

"Well, you made me this way," Ryland smiled, "I don't think you can really complain."

"Anyway," Alex shook his head, "we were actually just talking about where the two of you could have disappeared to."

"Yang asked me to help her with something this morning," Ruby answered, stepping forward with a wrapped bundle of cloth. Alex noticed she was cradling whatever it was as if it were a baby. The cloaked girl unveiled the object, revealing it to be a completed and polished prosthetic arm. "Congratulations, it's a limb," Ruby deadpanned. All four of the people on the bridge burst out laughing.

"Thanks, Ruby. You too, Yang," Ryland grinned as the younger sister handed him the arm. Yang moved to help slot the limb into the connector on the young soldier's shoulder. Upon being properly seated, Ryland moved the newly-repaired limb around in its socket. "Well, Bossman, no time for breaks. I've got two hands again, so we'll get this heap off the ground in record time."

"What can we do to help?" Ruby spoke up.

"Honestly," Ryland answered, "by fixing my arm, I think you've done enough for one day."

"Well, we already gave you a hand once," Yang smirked. "An extra two pairs probably wouldn't hurt."

"If you're still up to it, Yang, you can assist Ryland. Ruby, if you want, you can tag along with me," Alex said.

"Sounds good," Yang nodded.

"I can do that," Ruby affirmed with a bob of her own head.

"Alright," Ryland smiled and cracked his knuckles. "Let's get this thing flying."

* * *

Weiss bit into the food in front of her with a harsh, unlady-like chomp. In front her her lay an EDC tactical pad. She had Alyia and Jerloh to compile all the information they could think of on the Lords the Order had with them. Of course, her attention was fixed on one Lord in particular.

Golem. The Bloodline of Earth. Charles' killer... well, partially... Weiss had still been unable to shake the overwhelming feeling of guilt. She had replayed the situation in her head so many times... trying to figure out if there was something she could have done differently. Many times, her heart dropped as she realized that she could have just stayed on the Dustplane... that Golem would have been unable to copy her Semblance if she had stayed away. Charles might have lived if only she hadn't been so reckle-

"Weiss?" Anise's voice jumped the younger Schnee sister out of her thoughts. "You had a scary look on your face..."

"Sorry, Anise," Weiss sighed. "I'm just... thinking... That's all..."

"About Uncle Charles?"

"Yes..." Weiss looked down at the table before her sadly. "I'm certain there was _something_ I could have done, but-"

"You did what you thought was right at the time, Weiss," Winter spoke up softly from her seat beside Anise. "I was ready to follow you when you jumped out of the transport to go save Charles... If General Ironwood hadn't held me back... That Lord could have just as easily taken my Semblance... As much as we want to change it, we have to accept that we tried our best when we had the chance." Weiss noticed small tears gathered in her sister's eyes.

"That's why I asked for all this information," Weiss said solemnly. "We can't go back in time to save Charles, but we can make sure his murderer is unable to hurt anyone else."

"Can we, though?" Winter asked sadly. "Bloodlines like Charles... could you or I even do anything to fight them? And what about Anise? If we were to both die, who would watch after her? I want to honor Charles' memory as well, but..."

"You're thinking about what General Evans said," Weiss stated. "About whether or not coming along was what any of us wanted or were ready to do..."

"Yes..." Winter nodded solemnly, "Weiss, let's be honest, I'm not the strongest fighter in our family. After losing Charles... I just want you and Anise to be safe..."

"So, you've decided not to go?" Weiss inquired, setting the tactical pad down.

"I was going to ask you to stay as well," Winter bowed her head. "I know it's selfish, but if I lose you too, I don't know what-"

"I understand your position, Winter," Weiss replied, "but this is something I have to do." She rose from her seat, taking the tactical pad with her. "If anything, I'm glad that you'll still be here to look after Anise while I'm away."

"But, Weiss," Anise spoke up, "what if you get hurt? What if you-"

"You two don't need to worry about me," Weiss did her best to smile at her family. "I'll come back. I promise." Without another word, Weiss turned and departed the table with a determined stride.

"Anise..." Winter said as she watched her sister's back grow farther away. "Take your time growing up, okay?" Weiss' form disappeared around a corner. "Because... it feels like I looked away for only a second... and Weiss became strong when I wasn't watching..."

* * *

"Father?" Pyrrha called as she gently pushed her way into the room Peleus had been staying in. "You wanted to speak to me?"

"Pyrrha," the Senator nodded softly. "Please, sit down." The redheaded girl did as she was asked, pulling up a small wooden chair so she sat across from her father, who was seated on the edge of his bed. "I know that you were determined to come with me to Mistral, but I-"

"You can't ask me to stay!" Pyrrha interrupted loudly. "You can't ask me to abandon my home and let Mother's killers just get away!"

"Pyrrha, trust me, I will not allow the Order to escape justice without a fight," Peleus said calmly.

"Then let me help you!" the girl cried. "I have as much reason to fight as you do!"

"Pyrrha," Peleus said her name sharply. "Would you ask me to bury you?"

"I-" the redheaded student's harshness vanished.

"I just want you to survive," Peleus reached out to place his hands on his daughter's shoulders. "Please... do not make me bury you as well as Thetis..."

"Father..." Pyrrha took a deep breath. She'd been on edge ever since the attacks, she needed to clear her head and calm down. "I know you're frightened for me, but would you ask _me_ to bury _you_? I cannot sit and do nothing when my family and home is threatened. Just as you don't want to lose me, I don't want to lose you..."

"Pyrrha..."

"If I... were to help, but not fight..." the girl continued, "would you allow me to accompany you? I only need to do _something_..."

"I... That could work I suppose..." Peleus said defeatedly. His daughter's mind was made up, she would find a way to follow him even if he forced her to stay. The Senator sighed to himself. "Very well... but you are not to leave my sight... I couldn't bear it if something happened to you..."

"Then in exchange," Pyrrha said, "I will keep you safe." She wrapped her father in a tight embrace. "We will both make it home..."

* * *

"Arthur?" Emerald called softly as she entered their shared room. It once again struck her how quiet the dorm had become without Anika. "Is he not here?" The mint-haired girl could not shake a sinking feeling that she might never see the Guardian again. She was certain that he would leave for Mistral, and that he would not return. She had long since made up her mind that she would not go, she couldn't.

Emerald hadn't signed up to be a soldier. When Arthur had given her a second chance, she had decided that she was going to turn her life around to help others. After tasting the horrors of war two years before, Emerald decided that she would never participate in anything like that again. Grimm were one thing... but seeing Humans and Faunus slaughtered around her as if they were insignificant annoyances...To see the lights snuffed out from so many peoples' eyes... It had changed her.

After determining that Arthur was nowhere to be found in their dorm room, Emerald exited back into the hallway. She could hear the soft pattering of rain against the windows. She resumed her search for the blond Guardian boy, passing the occasional student or staff member in the hall.

Emerald had had a crush on Arthur ever since they had met. He had even seen right through her at the time, known that she hadn't been a good person... but he had still treated her with the most kindness she had ever felt. Since then, she felt like her affection towards the boy had only grown, and now she couldn't let him die. Even if she had to destroy their relationship to do it, Emerald would make sure Arthur lived.

The mint-haired girl continued to wander about the academy, checking every nook and cranny of the campus that she could think of, even going as far to start looking under tables. Suddenly, a flash of platinum-blond caught her eyes. Out in the rain, calmly standing beneath the downpour in the middle of the school plaza, was Arthur. His hair was plastered to the side of his head. Emerald ran out the nearest door, making a beeline for the Guardian.

"What are you doing!?" she demanded. "Are you _trying_ to catch something!?"

"Em?" Arthur suddenly noticed her. His voice was muffled under the roar of the heavy rain. "No, I... I've always found the rain calming. I couldn't get sick even if I wanted to, though. One of the perks of being having a Regeneration Secondary." Something seemed to occur to the blonde boy. "Wait, but you _can_." Emerald found herself being abruptly hustled towards a dry spot underneath a large tree nearby. "What were you thinking?" the Guardian chastised her as he attempted wring the water out of her clothes.

"I was... looking for you..." Emerald muttered in embarrassment. She shook the sleeves of her Beacon uniform, tossing water droplets everywhere. She quickly abandoned the soaked black jacket with the academy's insignia, leaving her with a relatively dry undershirt and a damp skirt. She shivered as the cold air struck her. "I- I d-doubt you've got s- something dry or warm on you, right?" Emerald's teeth chattered together.

"I brought a bag with a towel with me," Arthur answered, pulling said article of cloth out as he said it. He proceeded to wrap Emerald's upper body in the towel, slowly bringing her shivering under control. The soaked Guardian sat down next to the mint-haired girl underneath the tree. The pair gazed silently out into the rain.

"Don't go..." Emerald said softly, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Kinda hard for me to go somewhere with the rain," Arthur replied. He smiled at the mint-haired girl, but the grin vanished once he saw the desperate and despondent look in her eyes. "That's not what you meant..."

"I meant... I don't want you to go to Mistral..." Emerald edged closer to the Guardian. "I have this... terrible feeling that if you go... you won't come back... I know you probably want to go to avenge Anika, but-"

"Em," Arthur held up a hand and looked at her worriedly, "I wasn't planning on going anywhere. I told Alex this morning that I wasn't going."

"Why?" Emerald asked in shock.

"Because Alex told me the most important person to me _isn't_ going," the Guardian answered.

"What?" Emerald's heart fluttered as she looked Arthur in the eyes and caught his meaning. " _Oh_..." In that moment, Emerald's body acted on its own, and she and the Guardian leaned forward to kiss each other. Emerald discarded the towel of wrap her arms around Arthur's neck, no longer caring that she was getting soaked by holding him. The two broke away from each other after a few moments, Emerald leaning her forehead against Arthur's. "I... I guess this makes things a bit easier..." she blushed. "I love you, Arthur..."

"Love you too, Em..."

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **Shorter, fluffier chapter today.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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	40. Chapter 39

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

 _ **CHAPTER 39**_

* * *

With a heavy sigh, Ryland set the welding torch in his hand down with a thud. Using his right arm, he wiped away the drops of sweat that had beaded on his forehead. Idly, he stretched his prosthetic limb, an old habit, despite the arm no longer having any sort of muscle. The young engineer sat himself down in a seat that was bolted to the metal floor, one of many console stations on the Corvette's bridge.

It irked Ryland that even with his arm repaired and everyone they knew pitching in, that the repairs on the EDC spacecraft had taken almost two weeks. He had noticed the evident worry painted on the others' faces as well, concerned about what the Order could be doing with each passing day. Giving the enemy extra time to prepare wasn't exactly an appealing concept...

Ryland looked up as the large sliding door onto the bridge hissed open, one of many systems that had thankfully been fixed. The young soldier couldn't help but wonder if they stood a chance against the Order as the assault force destined for Mistral assembled on the bridge. With Winter, Arthur, and Emerald staying behind, their already small numbers had shrunk to only seventeen, plus Lex. Jerloh had been rather insistent that they bring the six-year-old along, since he planned on finding a way for the residents of Earth to get home after defeating the Order. Ryland wished he could share the Terror Inheritor's confidence.

"So, are we ready, Ry?" Yang asked as she leaned over his shoulder to stare at the screens in front of the engineer in confusion.

"Well, we're about to find out..." Ryland replied before turning to Alex. "Shall I do the honors, Bossman?"

"Be my guest," Alex nodded. Ryland took a deep breath and closed his eyes, his hand hovering over the necessary start-up panel.

"Moment of truth..." The engineer flipped a series of physical switches at the station he was seated at, causing a complex diagram of the ship's generator highlighted in red to appear on one of the screens in front of him. Sections of the image turned from crimson to a light green, slowly lighting up the entire diagram. "Initial start looks good... Alright... here we go..." Ryland pressed his finger against one of the screens, activating a rectangular button labeled "Engage". The bridge suddenly lit up to full brightness as the power fully kicked in. The other consoles' screens flashed blue as they started.

"We did it!" Ruby cheered.

"How are we looking, Ryland?" Dimitri asked.

"Generator core's spun up to full. There's something weird going on with the targeting computers, but that might be because they're still warming up," Ryland reported. "Other than that, I think we're ready to fly."

"Good," Alex nodded sharply, "then we'd better not waste any time shoving the necessary supplies on board and getting on our way."

"Luna and I are nearly finished packing the crates for rations and ammunition," Firo stated.

"And the medical supplies are already done," Luna finished. "You can start loading the ones we have filled, if you want."

"You two are the best," Alex smiled. "Alright... D, Jerloh, Alyia, and Ig- I mean, Ryan, can you four start on getting the supplies loaded?"

"Sure thing," Jerloh nodded cheerfully.

"Daddy! Can I help?" Lex said eagerly.

"I'm pretty sure most of those crates are bigger than you are, Lex," Jerloh chuckled. "Why don't you just hang out with some of the others for now?"

"'Kay!" the little girl replied happily.

"Cinder," Alex continued to parcel out orders, "You, Marcia, Pyrrha, and Peleus should find a place to move all of your tactical supplies and information."

"Got it," the black-haired woman affirmed.

"Eve, Elise, Blake, and Weiss..." Alex placed his hand underneath his chin idly, "I'd like you four to make sure the med-bay is fully stocked. We don't know how many wounded people we might have to deal with, so it's better to have those materials ready as opposed to having someone bleed to death while we're trying to pull something out of a crate." Ruby tugged on the soldier's sleeve as the four other girls acknowledged their assigned duty.

"And what about me, Yang, and Ryland, Major Greene?" Ruby said with a somewhat mocking grin and salute. Alex froze for a moment, flinched, then settled on a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, Ruby. Guess I was falling back into old habits there for a second," the blond soldier scratched the back of his head.

"Nah, it's not a big deal," Ruby shrugged. "Though, in all seriousness, what do you need us to do?"

"The ship's up and running again thanks mostly to you three," Alex replied kindly. "I think you've earned a break for today."

"I'm still good," the cloaked girl stated.

"That targeting system's still acting up," Ryland answered. "I'm going to try to figure out what's going on."

"I'll take a look if you can point me in the right direction," Alex nodded.

"Don't worry about it, Alex," Yang waved her hand. "I can help Ry."

"Are you sure?" the soldier asked.

"Yeah, we've got it," Ruby's sister affirmed. Alex shrugged as the various groups departed to complete their tasks. He casually noted Lex chasing after Jerloh, despite being told to follow one of the others.

"So, what now?" Ruby inquired. "Anything else on the to-do list?"

"Nothing too pressing," Alex answered. "I'm probably going to go help Luna and Firo pack."

"Actually, wait," the short girl smacked a fist and palm together. "I have an idea. It's not too important... but I think we should do it."

"What do you mean?"

"Here, follow me first," Ruby grabbed Alex by the forearm, casually using her Semblance to drag the soldier through the Corvette. The pair ground to a halt just outside the ship, at the base of the boarding ramp.

"So, what's this idea of yours?" Alex asked, taking several extra steps to slow down as Ruby released his arm and disengaged her Semblance.

"I was thinking, how come the Corvette doesn't have a name?" Ruby replied.

"The EDC usually only assigns titles to ships with hyperspace engines. Corvettes don't have those, so they're all unnamed," Alex answered. "But, you're going to suggest we give it one."

"Right," Ruby nodded emphatically. "After everything the Corvette went through and everything we did to fix it... I dunno, I guess it feels like a physical representation of all of us... me, you, Yang, and everyone else..."

"In a way, the ship symbolizes our friendship," Alex finished with a nod.

"Yeah," Ruby replied, "I know it sounds sort of cheesy, but that's what it feels like."

"What name did you have in mind?" the blond soldier inquired.

"I was thinking of something along the lines of how the we're all tied to each other, but 'Bond' and 'Thread' don't feel right..." Ruby and Alex stared at the side of the ship together silently. The soldier could understand his friend's sentiments on this matter. Like all of the people Alex had come to Remnant with and the people they had met there, the battered EDC Corvette had been through a lot. It had survived a hopeless battle on Earth, it had endured the challenges Remnant had thrown at it, and even when the Order had done their best to destroy it, the craft had refused to simply give up and die.

"'Tether'," Alex said, not taking his eyes off the ship. "What do you think?"

"Yeah," Ruby smiled and nodded. "That's a good one. I like it."

* * *

Chess sat on an aging fallen tree, his head resting on his right hand. Gentle winds rustled the leaves of the surrounding forest, cloaked in the light of a sun just past its peak. A short distance away, the Bloodline could make out the voices of the Maidens, though he was not paying any attention to the words coming from their lips.

Their group of four had stopped for the day, Amber and Cherri taking time to show Melody the ropes of being a Maiden. The Fall Maiden was currently showing the silver-haired girl how to control her powers. The Bloodline of Chaos idly noted a tree encompassed in ice, Melody's handiwork.

Their group had long since passed beyond any sort of civilization. It had been two weeks since Chess and Melody had left Mountain Glenn, and in that time, they hadn't exchanged many words. The new Maiden of Winter had spent almost every waking moment of her time training, rapidly learning to gain full control over her abilities. Still, even if they didn't talk much, they still interacted with each other. Most days, Melody simply collapsed and fell asleep on the Bloodline's shoulder.

Amber and Cherri were... odd in Chess' eyes. Despite barely knowing anything about him, and from what Chess could tell, what they had heard wasn't good, they had been unusually friendly with the Bloodline. The pair of Maidens treated him... _normally_ , which at first, Chess was unsure whether it unsettled him or made him happy. Over the days following their initial departure, the Bloodline had gradually settled on the latter choice. Cherri's incessant cheer and motherly worry helped keep their group on their feet, and Amber had the self-proclaimed demeanor of an older sister. Slowly, Chess felt himself warming to the two Maidens just as he had with Melody...

 _Feeling bored?_ Mini's voice greeted out of the blue. The boy's ghostly avatar appeared beside the Bloodline on the log, taking a seat as he spoke.

 _I suppose that's one way to describe it,_ Chess replied, reflexively giving the apparition an acknowledging nod. _I'm honestly not sure what I should be doing..._

 _Well, that's not something I can really tell you,_ Mini shrugged.

 _That seems to be the case more often than not,_ Chess released a huff of air.

 _You misunderstood. I can't tell you what to do, because I don't know,_ the small pale boy replied with slight annoyance. _I only know what you do. I can't_ _see_ _the future._ To Mini's apparent surprise, Chess turned his head to look down at the ground with a sigh, as if something had been confirmed for him.

 _So you really are me, then..._ the Bloodline said suddenly. _You're a splinter off of my soul... the part of me that bears all the pain..._ _And my humanity as well, I would guess..._

 _You're half-right, but it took you long enough to figure it out,_ Mini's face broke into a calm grin, happy to finally be able to speak freely. _Yes, I am the part of you that broke away a long time ago, your innocence and your ability to feel for others... However,_ _you shouldn't doubt yourself. You are innately Human, regardless of whatever power you wield._ _The potential for you to change from how you were was always there, you just needed to see it._

 _Melody..._ Chess said.

 _Exactly,_ Mini smiled. _The part of your soul that I contain was locked away, sleeping, dormant in the deepest portions of your being. When Melody showed "Chaos" kindness, companionship, and... love... I was awakened and released from my imprisonment._ _Slowly, she has helped us become the person we were meant to be... not the twisted sadist we were turned into._

 _We can't exactly go back and change everything I did... And even a lifetime of atonement wouldn't remotely make up for all the blood on my hands..._ Chess sighed. He caught sight of Melody taking a break on a rotting stump near where she had been training.

 _We promised to protect her,_ Mini stated. _That is our purpose now. We cannot undo the past, so we must move forward and seek to make a new life. "Lord Chaos" should become nothing more than a name used to frighten children. "_ _Chess" is who you are now,_ _and knowing that, you should know what to do._

 _You know..._ the Bloodline smiled softly at the dirt at his feet. _I didn't appreciate it at that moment, but Melody giving me a name... I guess that was the moment that started changing everything... You're right... I know what to do now..._ Chess slowly rose to his feet and began to quietly walk away from the trio of Maidens. The darkness beneath the forest canopy thickened.

 _I recommend not using our Bloodline ability for the time being. Mother may break free if we push it too far,_ Mini warned, his ghostly form reappearing to walk beside Chess.

 _Then we'll train until we can defeat Shiro without it,_ the Bloodline replied. Chess stopped as the first set of glowing red eyes greeted him, the clearing with Melody and the other Maidens was a pinprick of light behind the ex-Lord. Another pair of eyes appeared, then a third, then many more. An Alpha Beowolf stepped out from the shadows into view, growling at the Bloodline's presence, but clearly hesitating.

"Guess you Grimm aren't completely mindless if you can sense danger," Chess stated flatly. The Alpha howled loudly and charged. "Mindless doesn't necessarily make you intelligent though." A dark spike rose out the ground, impaling itself through the Alpha's head with ease. The Grimm's body crumpled to the forest floor with a thud and began to disintegrate. The rest of the beast's pack let out angry roars at the death of their leader, rushing forward in a solid wall of fangs and claws.

Chess used his Secondary Ability to warp himself several feet into the air, sailing over the initial swipes of the furious Beowolves, causing befuddlement to pass through his attackers as they were unsure where he had gone. The Bloodline summoned his blades as he landed in the midst of the confused pack, spinning the shadowy extensions around him. It was as if the Grimm had been tossed into a giant, dark blender as Chess' ability cut them to ribbons. The Bloodline readied himself for his next move, but stopped short. The remaining Beowolves seemed to be searching for him, despite Chess being in plain sight.

"Chess! What are you doing!?" Melody's frantic voice shouted. The silver-haired girl's voice caused the Grimm to look around at their surroundings with what Chess could only assume were puzzled expressions. The young girl slammed into the Bloodline's chest, tightly wrapping her arms around him. "What were you thinking!? When I- we saw you were gone, we got worried!"

"I'm sorry for leaving without saying anything," Chess bowed his head apologetically. "I realized that I needed to stay in practice for when we eventually fight Shiro." Melody let out a deep sigh and leaned into him, her cheek pressed against the Bloodline's chestplate.

"Okay... I get it..." she sighed again. "Just... let me- us know that you're wandering off next time..."

"I'll be sure to do that," Chess nodded.

* * *

Melody sighed, sitting down roughly on the grass-covered ground and taking a moment to swat away a particularly bothersome insect. The sun had long-since set, leaving the forest shrouded in darkness with the exception of the small clearing the Maidens had decided to stop in for the day. Amber was a short distance from Melody, working on starting a fire. The Fall Maiden's power was nowhere near as powerful as it should be, but she was still far from powerless. Amber still had a high degree of control over her powers of wind and lightning, though their strength was apparently diminished compared to normal.

Melody laid down on her back as Amber lit the fire with a small spark of electricity, basking in the flames' warmth. The silver-haired girl stared at the night sky, but did not take any of it in as her exhaustion overwhelmed her. A delicious scent filled the air around her as Cherri used the small campfire to begin to cook a stew made from nearby edible plants. Melody had had her uncertainties about the Spring Maiden's recipe at first, but those worries had been quickly dashed when Cherri had continually produced mouth-watering results.

Idly, Melody turned her head to look for Chess. After apologizing, the snow-haired boy had disappeared once again to train against Grimm. For a while, the three Maidens could hear the sounds of battle in the distance, but Chess' path had slowly taken him farther and farther away from their camp.

"Amber, do you think you can go find Chess?" Cherri asked. "He's been gone a long time."

"Sure," the Fall Maiden nodded. "You two try not to burn down the forest while I'm gone." Amber picked up a decently sized tree branch and lit it in the campfire to create a makeshift torch. The grass and leaves on the forest floor made small, crisp noises as Amber vanished into the trees.

Melody's stomach growled, causing the girl to blush slightly. Cherri chuckled and assured her that they would eat once Amber returned with Chess. The young Winter Maiden's thoughts drifted to her male companion, causing a warm sensation to well up inside her chest. When they'd first met nearly four months prior, Melody had been more than a tad annoyed by the cold personality Chess had displayed. However, as he'd slowly begun to warm to her, Melody had seen a drastic change in the Bloodline. Now, he wasn't just some angry young boy she had come across, he was her Chess and- Wait, " _her_ Chess"?

"Have you told him how you feel yet?" Cherri's voice snapped Melody out of her own thoughts. It was at this point the youngest Maiden realized she had a huge grin and blush plastered across her face. Melody promptly buried her head in her hands. "You can't dodge around it forever, you know."

"Is it _really_ that obvious?" Melody squeaked in embarrassment, her cheeks grew an even deeper shade of red.

"Melody, you use Chess as a pillow at night," Cherri stated. "It's pretty easy to see you have feelings for him. I'm just sitting here wondering what you think is holding you back."

"I- It's because..." Melody sat up from the ground and shifted so her chin was resting on her knees. "Is how I feel about him... _wrong_? I've only known Chess for four months... Is that enough time to fall for somebody?"

"I fell in love with somebody in a short span of time too," Cherri said sadly. "So I'd say you've earned your right to feel however you want to about him."

"How did it turn out for you?" Melody asked worriedly.

"I never got to say anything," Cherri replied with a downtrodden smile. "I waited and rationalized my feelings long enough... that by the time I was getting close to being able to voice how I felt... my chance was already long gone... Maybe it wasn't meant to be."

"Then... what should _I_ do?" Melody looked at her feet and hugged her legs close to her chest. The fire somehow seemed less warm all of a sudden.

"I can't make you a promise in how things will turn out between you and Chess," Cherri answered, "but I know you shouldn't let your chance to tell him pass you by. I'll talk to Amber about giving you two some privacy to talk after dinner, okay? And it doesn't even have to be tonight. If you can't work up the courage today, just let me know, and I'll make sure we can give the two of you some space once you're ready."

"Cherri..." Melody looked up with a gratitude-filled smile. "Thank you." Before Cherri could reply, a loud snapping twig alerted the two Maidens to Amber's return. The Fall Maiden tossed the torch in her hand into the fire as she and Chess walked over to the others.

"Welcome back," Cherri greeted. "Food's ready, so you two can just sit down."

"Thanks, Cherri," Chess replied idly, sitting next to Melody on the grass-covered ground. He became acutely aware of the stares all three Maidens were giving him. "What?"

"You really must be warming up to us," Amber noted with a hint of humor. "You wouldn't even call us by name the first day out, and now you're thanking us. To be honest, I'm genuinely surprised and proud that you're attitude towards Cherri and I changed so quickly."

"You've proven to be trustworthy and kind people," Chess answered. "That's all there is to it." The trio of Maidens shared a series of looks with each other at the boy's statement. Cherri shrugged and began to dole out helpings of stew to the hungry group. As they all devoured their food ravenously, the Spring Maiden caught Melody throwing nervous, furtive glances at Chess. When an opportunity arose, Cherri whispered the plan she had proposed to Melody to Amber. The Fall Maiden only nodded her agreement, being too preoccupied with her rapidly cooling bowl.

After the meal was finished, Cherri supplied Chess and Melody with the best reason she could come up with for herself and Amber to sleep elsewhere for the night. Thankfully, the Bloodline seemed not to question that he should watch over Melody while the other two Maidens traveled to a nearby stream to bathe and rest while their clothes dried. They would be close enough to come running in an emergency, but would be far enough away to not hear or see Melody or Chess speak. Cherri wondered whether the boy suspected something, or whether he was just tired, he had come back covered in small scrapes and scratches, after all. A third distinct possibility suddenly came into the Spring Maiden's mind as she and Amber set their bags down along the edge of the long stream, the fading light of the campfire a small orange speck in between the trees.

Maybe... Chess really did trust them like he had said...

* * *

"Final preparations are done, Bossman," Ryland reported, coming to a stop on the edge of a large group that had gathered outside the Corvette. The friends that were staying behind had come to see them off as the strike force headed for Mistral readied to depart aboard the newly-named Tether. Ruby and Alex had recruited a couple extra pairs of hands to paint the name across the ship's hull, with Ruby adding stylistic touches to the otherwise standard military block-letters. The most prominent feature was the twisting crimson and green rose bushes that snaked themselves around each of the large, white letters as if they were trellises.

"I assume this means the time for your departure has arrived," Ozpin said calmly from where he stood among the gathered people. His coffee mug, ever filled and warm, steamed in his hand. "I wish you all the best of luck, and I look forward to your return."

"If we don't make it back, Sir," Dimitri turned to the headmaster, "I'd like to say it was an honor to work at the academy."

"Mr. Averin," Ozpin replied, a small smile gracing the man's face, "if by some stroke of colossal misfortune, you and Mr. Greene are unable to return to Beacon, the school will have lost two of the finest employees we have ever had."

"I'm sorry we aren't going with you," Arthur bowed his head. Emerald was holding the blond Guardian's hand tightly, looking similarly apologetic. Alex placed a hand on both their shoulders.

"Trust me, we understand," the soldier said kindly. "This just means you guys had better defend Vale until we get back."

"Right," Emerald smiled. "We'll make sure the city stays in one piece while you're gone."

"I suppose this might be the last time we see each other," Firo spoke to Winter. "So, as a Faunus, I should thank you, Winter. I know it can't have been easy for you, but you have done your best to keep the promise you made." Firo's single rabbit ear bobbed as she held out her hand to the elder Schnee sibling. "I'm proud to consider you a friend." Firo flinched in surprise as Winter suddenly gave her a soft hug.

"Thank you, Firo," Winter's voice wavered. "Thank you..."

"Take care of Winter, alright, Anise?" Weiss ordered. "I know she's older than you, but you need to make sure she takes care of herself, even if I-"

"You'll come back. You promised, right?" Anise cut her off.

"Right..." Weiss knelt down to embrace Anise warmly. The various friends that had come to see them off continued to wish the small force the best of luck. When the send-off had finally concluded, Alex and the others boarded the Tether. The sound of his boots against the ramp seemed to echo in the blond soldier's ears. As he sat down in a seat on the bridge, Alex wondered why this particular departure felt so different. Back on Earth, he'd marched off towards his potential doom more than once. It suddenly struck him. On Earth, the people he had cared about had always been right at his side, now, for the first time since leaving his brother behind, Alex had people waiting for him to come home.

He closed his eyes, silently promising that he would make sure they all returned.

* * *

Chess and Melody lay with each other on the grassy forest floor, watching the dying embers of the campfire slowly wink out of existence. The young Maiden found it difficult to control the rapid pounding of her heart as she edged closer to the boy she had such strong feelings for. Her head was laid across his shoulder.

"H-hey...Chess?" Melody stammered. She immediately kicked herself mentally for stuttering.

"Yeah?" the Bloodline turned to look her in the eye. For a moment, Melody found herself concentrating on the crimson orbs behind Chess' long white bangs. "What? Is there something stuck to my face?"

"O-oh... No, I- it's just..." Melody paused to take a deep breath, trying to collect herself. "I... wanted... to talk to you about something..."

"Sure," Chess nodded. "What is it?"

"For a good while... I... think I've..." Melody trailed off. She suddenly placed her hands over her face, making a sound of frustration. " _Why_ is this so hard?" She suddenly felt a familiar warm sensation flow through her body as Chess did his best to gently hold her in his arms. "Thanks..."

"What's wrong, Melody?" Chess asked. "You look like something's bothering you."

"I- I'm-" Melody closed her eyes and grit her teeth, trying to find the right words and the courage to say them. "I'm trying to tell you that I've fallen in love with you, Chess!" The sentence tumbled from her mouth a tad louder and shriller than Melody had expected, causing an owl to depart from a nearby tree. Chess froze and stared at the young Maiden, whose face was alight with a red color visible even in the dim light. "W-well? Say something, please!" Melody said frantically.

"Melody... I..." Chess' expression was filled with pain and disappointment, but not towards her. "I know I want to return your feelings... but... I'm not sure if I even have a clue how to 'love' another person." The Bloodline looked like he was disgusted with himself. "Damn it... I'm so sorry..."

"I don't exactly know all that much about love either," Melody said, readjusting her position so her head sat in the middle of Chess' chest. "All I do know for sure is how I feel about you... Every waking moment, I _want_ to be with you... It _hurts_ when you're not there..."

"Is that what it feels like?" Chess asked softly.

"I- I think so..." Melody nodded, hugging Chess close to her.

"Then... Melody... I think I'm in love with you as well..." In that moment, Melody leaped forward to tightly wrap her arms around the Bloodline's neck, planting her lips across his. She broke away from Chess with a smile, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes. It took her a moment to realize that she had wound up sitting across the boy's chest somewhere along the way. "I'm still unsure how any of this works though..." Chess rubbed the back on his head, a noticeable amount of color seeping into his pale features. Melody leaned forward to kiss him again.

"I guess it'll be a learning experience for both of us."

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **The assault team is off on their way, and Chaos/Chess finally has some things going his way for once in his life. I think this one turned out pretty well, all things considered.** **As usual, I'm worried about anything I write containing romantic themes.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **Guest: I'd say I like Alex, Ryland, Chess/Chaos, and Firo the most. I can't really pin just one of them down.**

 **Skaana: Yup. Prepare for more fluff than a wool factory.**


	41. Chapter 40

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 40**_

Cherri and Amber looked up from the small fire they had started to cook breakfast at the sound of two approaching pairs of feet. The Spring Maiden struggled to suppress the urge to grin happily as Chess and Melody's shoes rustled gently in the grass as the pair approached the clearing near the stream the other two Maidens had slept in.

Melody was gripping Chess' hand tightly in her own. Occasionally, the Bloodline and young Winter Maiden would lock eyes for a moment, before promptly turning vivid shades of crimson and doing their best to look in different directions, all the while, never letting go of each other.

The pair sat down on the fallen trunk of a moss-covered tree. Cherri noted that the two of them appeared rather... disheveled... and not it the morning bed-hair kind of way. She also noticed the amount of color that refused the leave Chess' face, his normally deathly pale features were flooded with a deep red that rivaled the color of his eyes.

"Food'll be ready in a while," Cherri felt a smile tug at her lips when the love-struck pair jumped at her voice. "Melody, do you want to go clean up? Amber can show you a good spot."

"Uh- S-sure..." the silver-haired girl stammered. She hesitantly stood, letting go of Chess' hand with clear reluctance. Amber placed a gentle hand on the younger Maiden's back and guided her off down the stream, out of sight. Once she was certain they were out of earshot, Cherri turned with a smile to Chess.

"So, it looks like last night went well for you two," the Maiden of Spring grinned. Chess nodded his head dazedly twice. "She really does love you, Chess. You'd better take care of her."

"I know..." the Bloodline answered hoarsely, looking down at the ground with a deepening blush.

"Geez, what did you two get up to?" Cherri chuckled, leaving the boiling pot of water alone to walk over to Chess. The ex-Lord flinched slightly as Cherri placed a cool hand across his forehead to get his attention. "You're redder than a tomato, you know."

"There's... a lot of different feelings... floating around in my head right now..." Chess answered. "I'm not sure how to process a lot of them..."

"Well, just roll with them, I'm sure you and Melody can figure it out," the Maiden of Spring smiled. "After all, the two of you have a whole life ahead of you."

* * *

"So, how'd it go?" Amber asked. Melody turned to face her from the stream, seemingly unperturbed by the cold water.

"It went... _well_..." the silver-haired girl replied, sinking further into the stream.

"How far did you two go?" the Maiden of Fall inquired innocently. Melody promptly turned away with a flustered expression, placing a hand over her lips. "Wow, you're both certainly bold. Was that all?"

"W-why are you asking me this!?" Melody squeaked in embarrassment, every inch of her face had attained a deep crimson hue.

"Sorry," Amber laughed, "I'm mostly just teasing you." Melody turned away from the Fall Maiden, closing her eyes with an annoyed expression. She tossed water from the stream across her face, trying to chase off the heat in her cheeks. "Though, really, I'm curious... What happened yesterday between you two?"

"I..." Melody started turning redder again, "I confessed how I felt... there was a little bit of awkwardness... but Chess admitted he felt the same... and..." The young Maiden trailed off and stared off into the distance for a moment with a happy expression plastered across her face. Amber snapped her out of it by tossing a handful of water into her face.

"'And'? What, did you two give into your passions or some-" the Fall Maiden's sentence was silenced as Melody threw a sphere of water from the stream at her. The orb of liquid splashed across Amber's face, knocking of Fall Maiden off of her seat atop a tree stump. "Well, judging from _that_ reaction..." Amber smirked good-naturedly from the ground. Another pair of watery orbs impacted the ground near her. "Are you sure you should be using your power as a Maiden for such petty reasons?" A projectile left a soaked splatter on her clothes. "Alright, you asked for it!" Amber rushed to the side of the stream and splashed Melody.

After a short while, Amber collapsed at the side of the stream, thoroughly soaked by her "battle" with the younger Maiden, who was no worse for wear. Melody let out a sigh of relief that Amber had stopped teasing her about the night before.

"You know..." the Maiden of Fall spoke softly as Melody stepped out of the stream and wrapped her self in a towel, "Cherri and I were a little jealous of you two..."

"What do you mean?" Melody asked, sitting down beside Amber in the grass.

"You and Chess," the tanned Maiden answered. "We'd been kept away from other people ever since we got our powers. Something like finding love seemed impossible when you didn't even have the ability to have a normal conversation. But... you and Chess disproved that idea."

"You two don't resent being isolated?" Melody asked.

"I told Ozpin I didn't, but..." Amber sat up to toss a small pebble into the stream, "I can't exactly say I enjoyed it." She sighed. "Cherri wasn't too thrilled with being alone either... but we know Ozpin had the best intentions... Before we left, it sounded like he thought that we should try doing things differently..."

"I'm sure you'll find somebody to love too," Melody smiled.

"That's _if_ somebody is willing to put up with the whole Maiden thing and... well," Amber gestured to the scars across her face.

"You're still pretty, don't be dramatic," the silver-haired girl replied. "And if you find somebody who thinks that what you are or how you look matters, then they aren't the right one." Melody looked back towards the camp with a warm expression. Amber followed the younger Maiden's gaze, staring at the distant glow of the campfire Cherri was cooking at.

"Thanks, Melody," the Maiden of Fall said softly. The two of them sat in the grass silently for several minutes while they waited for themselves to dry. A shiver ran down the younger Maiden's back as an impish smile spread across Amber's face. "So, did you and Chess..." The Fall Maiden leaned in to whisper in Melody's ear. The silver-haired girl's face immediately turned bright crimson once again.

"What's wrong with you!? Why would you ask someone that!?"

"So you aren't denying it, then?" Amber smirked. "When's the-" A large ball of water fell on top of the Fall Maiden's head.

* * *

"Do I want to ask?" Chess inquired, looking up from one of his armor's shoulder pads. The piece of metal had fallen off and cracked somewhere along their journey, and the Bloodline had only just noticed.

" _No_ ," Melody answered bluntly in an exhausted tone, plopping herself down beside Chess and hugging his arm. "I don't want to talk about it..." The Bloodline noticed Amber smiling and scratching the back of her head sheepishly at them. The Maiden of Fall looked as if she'd fallen into the stream.

"I'm _really_ sorry, Melody," Amber called. "I went too far."

"Just..." the silver-haired Maiden blushed, "just don't do it again..."

"Well," Cherri piped up cheerily, "I'd say it sounds like Amber got what was coming to her. Food's ready, by the way," The Maiden of Spring promptly handed a pair of bowls to Chess for himself and Melody. She turned to Amber and began to gently scold the Fall Maiden for teasing Melody, though that was all of the information Chess was able to make out.

 _This is all very different, isn't it?_ Mini's voice announced. The fragment of Chess' soul once again manifested itself beside him in the form of a child. _From what we had before?_

 _Traveling with others has... been a nice change..._ Chess affirmed. _I think... I think that somewhere deep down... I've always known this is what I wanted... a family..._

* * *

"So, what are we looking at in terms of an ETA?" Jerloh asked Alex, sitting himself down in an empty seat on the darkened bridge of the Tether. The ceiling lights had been dimmed throughout the ship to allow more power to be dumped to the engines. Outside the ship, heavy rain and lightning swirled and roared over a vast expanse of dark ocean between Vale and Mistral. The blond soldier was keeping careful watch over the Tether's navigation console.

"If Ryland keeps pushing the engines, we should arrive sometime late tomorrow or early the day after," Alex replied.

"Alright. Oh, Marcie and Cinder wanted me to pass on a message to you. They want to run all of us through their plan before we arrive," the Terror Inheritor reported. "And Peleus and Pyrrha have been trying to use the ship's transmitter to try and raise any resistance forces in the city."

"I'll be sure to check in with everyone ahead of time," Alex nodded. "Thanks, Jerloh."

"Hey, it's what friends do," the Bloodline shrugged. He looked around. "Are you the only one up here right now?"

"I sent Ryland to get some rest. He looked like he was nodding off," Alex answered. "Auto-pilot's doing all the work for now anyway, I'm just here as a precaution."

"Well, the others are sitting down for some food. Think the ship can survive without you for thirty minutes or so?" Jerloh smirked for a moment, but suddenly adopted a serious expression. "You should ask someone else to take over later. You need to take a break."

"I'm fine," Alex raised an eyebrow at the Bloodline questioningly.

"For now," Jerloh replied. "But we all know about your thick-headed tendency to work yourself to the breaking point. Let Marcie or Cinder watch the screens for a bit."

"I guess you might be right," Alex sighed, leaning back in his seat. A flash of lightning briefly basked the bridge in bright white light. "Huh... I just realized... this is the first opportunity we've had to just sit and talk, isn't it?"

"Yeah, things kinda got hectic right after we met up," Jerloh nodded.

"I've talked a bit with Marcia about what's happened back on Earth and elsewhere," Alex shrugged, "but what's your take on everything?"

"Honestly?" Jerloh sighed. "Things could be better back home, but they could also be much worse. The EDC officially announced that the war was over twelve years ago, but as you can probably tell, that's far from the truth... The Order might not have a foothold on any particular planet anymore... but they're still finding ways to recruit new members every day."

"So... in other words... essentially nothing has changed..." Alex sighed.

"Yeah," the Bloodline nodded solemnly. "Relations between Auras and normal folk are better than they were thanks to some of the other Guardians, but there are still a good number of people who'd like to put a bullet in people with abilities." Jerloh let out a distressed huff of air.

"Marcia said she was the last old member of STRD left..." Alex spoke flatly, looking down at the floor of the bridge. "What happened to the others?"

"Only a handful of people from STRD made it to the official end of the war," Jerloh answered. "Marcie, Henderson, Morgan, and Raine were the only ones left from First Infantry... When the Order reared its ugly head again, we wound up losing a lot of familiar faces..."

"I see..."

"Still, myself and a lot of others have to thank you, Alex," the Bloodline said. "You helped the Guardians show humanity that not all Auras were evil. So, thanks, Major."

"I only did what I thought was the right thing," Alex replied.

"You always do," Jerloh smiled. "Alright, enough talking about depressing things. Let's get you some grub and rest."

"Sure."

* * *

Jerloh guided Alex back to the small common room aboard the Tether, a simple area that they had filled with tables and chairs prior to departing Vale. After somewhat forcibly sitting the blond soldier down in between Luna and Ruby, the Terror Inheritor seated himself beside his daughter. Lex looked from her food with filled cheeks.

"Hrg, Drdy!" the small girl attempted to greet her father.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Jerloh chuckled, patting her head. The Bloodline's attention was drawn to Alyia, who pulled up a seat beside the pair, placing a plate of her own down on the metal table with a light clatter.

"You being trouble, Lex?" Alyia inquired with a smile. The little girl swallowed her food in one large gulp before responding.

"Nope," Lex replied innocently. "Auntie Aly, can I come watch you and Daddy fight the bad guys?"

"No, absolutely not," Jerloh said firmly. "You're staying far away from any fighting with Cinder and Peleus."

"But-"

"No 'buts', Lex," Alyia interrupted. "What we're doing is incredibly dangerous-"

"But I'm a hero too! Like you and Daddy!" Lex pouted.

"I just want you to be safe," Jerloh sighed, wrapping an arm around his daughter. "There'll be a time and place for you to be a hero, Lex... just not right now, okay?" The small girl looked up at her parent and aunt with pleading eyes, but seemed to acknowledge their decision.

"Okay... I'll stay with Miss Cinder..." Lex relented.

"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting?" Weiss announced her presence.

"Oh, Weiss," Alyia turned to the Schnee. "No, not at all. You can join us if you want."

"Thank you," the white-haired student bowed her head in a slight, but proper manner. Weiss softly sat herself down in another chair at their table, placing her hands together in her lap. "I wished to make a request that-"

"Weiss," Alyia stopped her. "What's with the formality?"

"I'm simply observing the proper manner in which to ask someone else for a favor," Weiss replied stiffly, though it was clear she was quite nervous.

"Well, cut it out," Jerloh waved his hand good-naturedly. "I'm sure you heard how Lex fields requests, that's just how our family has always done it." Weiss took a deep breath, allowed her shoulders to slouch slightly, then released a heavy sigh.

"I... want to avenge Charles," the young Schnee stated, a dark look crossing her face. "But I know that I won't be strong enough on my own... So... I wanted to ask... whether the two of you would accompany me if I went to fight Golem..."

"Of course," Jerloh answered with a slight shrug.

"Sure thing," Alyia nodded her head.

"W-wait!" Weiss cried. "Just like that!?"

"Yeah," Jerloh replied, "was that not what you wanted?"

"I mean... it _is_ what I was asking for... but..." Weiss sighed, "I didn't expect you to agree so easily..."

"Well, it'd be dishonoring Dad's memory if we just let you run off on your own and get killed," Alyia said. "Besides, he considered you, Winter, and Anise to be a part of the family, so by extension, we do too."

"And family watches each others' backs, right?" Jerloh added, tilting his head at the young Schnee. Weiss suddenly burst out laughing, a clear, charming sound that bounced slightly off the walls.

"You both certainly _are_ Charles' children," the white-haired student said as she tried to quell her giggling. "I shouldn't have doubted you... Thank you."

* * *

Ryland's eyes flickered open, adjusting to the dim light that filled his room aboard the Tether. The weight of an arm laid across his chest informed him of Yang's presence. She was curled up between Ryland and the wall, with her right arm draped protectively over the engineer. Careful not to disturb his girlfriend, Ryland gently lifted Yang's arm and stood. He shivered slightly at how cold the room seemed.

Ryland took a moment to allow his eyes further time to adjust to the darkness. Slowly, he became able to make out the shapes of the bed, a small table, and a chest-high cabinet. The young soldier walked softly over to the cabinet and opened one of its drawers, quietly removing his prosthetic arm from its stored location within. He tossed a cautious look towards Yang's gently shifting form, making sure he hadn't woken her up, and slotted his metal limb into its socket with a harsh click.

Ryland returned to the bed's side for a minute, taking the time to gingerly cover Yang with a blanket and tenderly brush her cheek once with his right hand. Then, he discreetly saw himself out the door and into the equally dark hallway through the Tether. The young engineer made a beeline for the small common room, passing through the ship's hangar, which they had converted into a large storage room due to the absence of smaller vehicles. He stopped as he caught sight of a black-armored figure leaning against the hangar wall. For a moment, Ryland flinched and reached for a gun, before realizing that it was Ignis. The Bloodline of Flame looked up from the floor, becoming aware of the engineer's presence.

"Felstrand," the ex-Lord acknowledged.

"Ignis," Ryland nodded. For a moment, the two just stared at each other awkwardly. "Oh... wait... you go by 'Ryan Aedus' now, right?"

"That's always been my name," Ryan answered flatly. "Where you looking for something?"

"Not in particular," Ryland shrugged. "I just saw you sulking in the corner there and figured I'd strike up a conversation." The Bloodline made a small "hmph" sound. "So, what's got you trying to stare a hole in the floor?"

"I'm planning," the ex-Lord replied. The orange-haired engineer quirked an eyebrow at him, sensing there was more to it. "I'm planning... in order to keep my thoughts off of a certain subject..."

"What, your Maiden friend?" Ryland guessed. "Wait, didn't Marcia say you had a kid?"

"Ember's mother..." Ryan looked down again, "did not survive giving birth to our daughter."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that," the engineer flinched.

"Still... you were right. I am trying to avoid puzzling over the... _complex_... feelings I have regarding Cherri," the Bloodline answered. "My loyalties feel divided, which is not something I had prepared myself for."

"So... you fell for the Maiden, huh?" Ryland said, walking over to sit on top of a crate across from the ex-Lord.

"I am not sure," Ryan shook his head. "I most definitely have a desire to protect her... but I an unsure whether that constitutes 'love'. Even if I _was_ certain, I could not ask her to leave her duty as a Maiden of Remnant to come with us to Earth, and I would be unable to abandon my own duty to the fight in our own world and bring Ember here..."

"Now you've got me thinking..." Ryland trailed off, clasping his hands together and staring at the floor. "Hey... you haven't happened to run into my parents, have you?"

"As a matter of fact," Ryan answered, clearly pleased to divert the subject, "I have met your father. The EDC apparently asked him to act as a consultant on the newest generation of ship subsystems. I met him when they were re-outfitting the initial craft for EDC's MATF."

"How was he doing?" Ryland asked cautiously.

"He... did not desire to engage in conversation with someone of my... _history,_ " the Bloodline replied, carefully choosing his words.

"He screamed at you, didn't he?" the engineer sighed, knowing the kind of person his father had been turning into.

"I can't exactly say that I blame him for it," Ryan replied. "He believes that his family was slaughtered by people like me. His distrust and hate is well-earned."

"So... Mom's gone too then..." Ryland looked down. "She was already coming apart at the seams when my sister died... I- I didn't even think what losing me too would do to her until now..." Ryland placed his right hand across his face, a horrified and sickened expression crossing his features. He suddenly remembered when he had been arrested and given the choice between jail and the EDC. Ryland's mother had wanted him to take the prison sentence... and now he understood why. She had already been convinced that the war would take both of her children from her... and she'd been right.

"You can't hold yourself responsible," Ryan said.

"Yeah... I know..." Ryland sighed. "Still doesn't stop me from feeling like a complete idiot... Actually... I have and idea. Ign- I mean, Ryan, would you be able to deliver a message to my Dad?"

"That shouldn't be a problem, if you write-"

"I'll get right on that, wait here!" Ryland hopped off the crate and sprinted back down the hall towards his room, leaving the Bloodline of Flame to shake his head good-naturedly.

Ryland ground to a halt in front of his door and carefully pried it open as to not disturb the sleeping Yang. He knelt down by the side of the bed, quietly fishing out his old EDC tactical pad. The engineer stealthily exited the room once more, closing the door behind him. He leaned back against the wall, inserting a small memory chip into the side of the device. The hand-held screen lit up, displaying a light blue keyboard with an empty void above it. Ryland began to type, his fingers tapping audibly against the pad.

 _Hey Dad,_

 _I know this will be hard to believe, but it's me, your son. I'm alive. Just to prove it's me, here are a couple things:_ _Megan and I almost burned the old house down when I was six, because I was playing around with the battery from one of those miniature spaceship_ _prototype models_ _you kept in the garage._ _I'm still not sorry._ _You bought me my first programming book on my eighth birthday, and I made Megan cry when I made her dolls start threatening world domination._ _I'm a little sorry for that one._

 _Hopefully, I've established that I really am me._ _Well, believe it or not, I didn't die on January 15th, 2998. Instead, I wound up in another world called "Remnant". It's a weird place for sure. There are only four major cities here, called "Kingdoms", and there are these Shade-like things call Grimm roaming around everywhere. Still, in spite of all that, the people here are strong._ _Every living being in this world produces something called an "aura", kind of like the Auras back on Earth,_ _and each person has a unique superpower called a "Semblance"_ _._ _But it's not just physical strength, the people of Remnant are some of the most strong-willed people I've ever_ _run into_ _, (yes, including you) as well as some of the most compassionate._ _There are people here, called "Huntsmen", that defend the people of the Kingdoms like an order of badass knights from history, only with guns._

 _That was the other thing I wanted to make sure to mention. Remember how you always said that "no girl would go out with someone who acts like a buffoon all the time"? Well, I proved you wrong._ _Her name's Yang, and she's quite literally the most beautiful and loving person I've met. Honestly, I think your head would explode if you had to deal with both of us at once._ _Yang's probably the main reason I've made it far enough to even write this to you, Dad. She's strong, and I mean really strong. There are a lot of times that I feel like I can barely keep up with her or that I'm not doing enough, because of how much she can outpace me._ _She always tells me that it doesn't matter, and I'm reminded that I'm lucky to have met her._

 _Yang's not the only person here though._ _I think you'd find her sister, Ruby, a fun sort. She's a gun-nut and a kickass engineer in her own right. There are also Weiss and Blake, two of their friends._ _Blake's more of a quiet sort, likes to keep her head buried in books, a lot like Mom._ _She's a type of person called a "Faunus", she's got a pair of cat ears on her head._ _Weiss is the daughter of the head of a huge company here in Remnant, responsible for keeping pretty much the whole planet running._ _She can get a bit uppity and snobbish, but she's ultimately a good person._ _These four girls that I've mentioned so far are training to be Huntresses, and I think they'll do well._

 _Aside from them, there's also a handful of guys from the EDC_ _and one Guardian_ _that crossed over with me. It's nice having familiar faces to watch your back._ _We made friends with a_ _few_ _of the people from Remnant since we got here._ _There's Luna, who's got a really big heart. Firo's a_ _rabbit faunus. She used to be really nervous, but she's warmed up to everyone, I think._ _Then there was Carbon._ _I think you'd have liked him. You two could have had all sorts of "old guy" discussions._

 _I guess I'm ultimately writing this letter to say "I'm sorry". Ryan, who you know as Ignis, told me about what's been going on back home since I left. I'm sorry about Mom. I'm sorry about disappearing. I'm still really sorry for Megan, and for not listening to you guys more._

 _Don't worry about me, Dad. I'm alive. I'm alright. I'm happy. I hope you can find it in you to be all those things too. Thank you for raising me the way you did. Without it, I wouldn't be who I am. Thank you._

 _Love ya, old man,_

 _Ryland._

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **After agonizing over this chapter for eight hours straight, it is finally complete.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **Cipher96: Thank you very much! Also, yes, we're drawing very close to the end.**

 **Skaana: Wait and see, my friend...**


	42. Chapter 41

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 41**_

Marcia cleared her throat, looking around at the assembled group aboard the Tether. With Mistral growing closer by the hour, the EDC General and her fellow tacticians, Peleus and Cinder, had called everyone together to outline their course of action. They were all standing around a large circular table, covered in multitudes of folders, papers, and small data devices.

"Alright," Marcia said loudly, "at our current speed, we will be arriving in Mistral in approximately four hours. When we arrive, we will be meeting up with resistance forces within the Historical District of the city."

"We're going to set the Tether down somewhere safe outside the city," Cinder clarified, quickly pointing to an aged paper map of the Kingdom and the surrounding land. "The Order would probably just shoot us out of the sky if we tried to enter into Mistral directly, so we're going to have to walk a bit. Thankfully, Peleus managed to access resistance radio signals using the Tether's long-range transmitter. They know we're coming, and they will assist us in gaining access through the wall."

"The remains of the Mistral Army and Guard Force are spread thin," Peleus added. "They have fallen into a stalemate along the edges of the Government and Residential Districts. From what they've been able to tell us, the Order seems more interested in holding their ground around the Senate building rather than retaking the city."

"Now, to outline the plan itself," Marcia continued, gesturing for everyone to gather around the map. "The Mistral forces reported that three of the Lords have been spotted regularly patrolling around areas along the front. Their presence is what has blocked the resistance thus far..." The General paused for a moment. "One of our first jobs is going to be removing them from the equation... Peleus, Pyrrha, and Cinder will be coordinating our assault from an old city-wide radio tower while we send small teams to deal with the Lords. Any remainders of our group will assist the resistance in pushing towards the Senate building and securing the exterior."

"The three Bloodlines that have been spotted are Europa, Golem, and Enigma," Cinder explained. "Both Enigma and Golem are most powerful in single combat, so I recommend sending two of our own Bloodlines to fight them."

"Do we know where Carnage and Agony are?" Ryan asked.

"The resistance reports suggest that the two of them are holed up inside the Senate building, working on who knows what," Marcia answered.

"Very well, then," the Bloodline of Flame nodded. "I will volunteer to fight Europa. And I would prefer to take Felstrand and Xiao Long along with me."

"Wait, _us_?" Yang said in surprise. She had barely spoken to Ryan, so she had no idea why he'd pick her and Ryland to accompany him. "Why?"

"I was told that you successfully held off Europa on your own once before," the ex-Lord answered, "That, and I trust the two of you have more than some small desire to face Europa again."

"Thanks, Ryan," Ryland said gratefully. "I'm in."

"And I guess I'm following too, to make sure Ry doesn't get himself killed," Yang added.

"That's one group taken care of," Marcia nodded.

"We'll take Golem," Jerloh said. "Myself, Alyia, and Weiss. There's a bit of a score to settle."

"I trust he won't know what hit him," the EDC General inclined her head.

"Peleus. Cinder," the Terror Inheritor called to get the Senator and tactician's attention. "I'm leaving Lex with you at the radio tower. I'm trusting you both that she'll be alright."

"I understand," Cinder nodded. "I'll keep an eye on her."

"Thank you," Jerloh replied.

"That leaves just leaves Enigma..." Peleus said softly, staring at the map of Mistral. "Eve, I expect you and Elise would prefer to deal with her personally?"

"Yes," Eve acknowledged, "she's someone we have to deal with on our own."

"That takes care of the teams attacking the Lords," Alex spoke up, "It will be up to the rest of us to push through the city and secure the Senate building. So, Luna, Ruby, D, Firo, and Blake are all with me. Actually, wait- Marcia, I didn't hear your name among the group that's going to be at the radio tower."

"That's because I'm not just going to be sitting around and hoping that you lot won't do something stupid. I'm going to be coming with you and helping retake the city the old-fashioned way," the Gen- No, Alex could see this wasn't an officer talking. This was his old squadmate, someone who had always watched out for him, someone he trusted implicitly. "That is... providing you've got room for an extra sniper, Alex."

"I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have covering our backs," the blond soldier replied with a smile. "It'll be nice to have to be part of the team again, Marcia."

"I guess it'll be like old times, then," Dimitri added from where he was leaned against the wall of the room. "Welcome back, Little Marcia."

"Alright," Cinder said, "enough chattering. We've got less than four hours to prepare all our gear."

"Right," Alex nodded. "Okay, everyone, let's get this done."

* * *

"So, what should we expect when we fight Europa?" Yang asked as she strapped on one of her armor's thigh plates.

"She will likely not make the same mistake of underestimating you again," Ryan replied, "so, I recommend that the two of you lend me support from a distance while I engage her directly. With any luck, she won't be able to concentrate enough to use her Kinesis Secondary."

"What about those clones or any Shade or Acolyte that's milling about with her?" Ryland inquired, attaching his armor's chestplate into its proper place with a sturdy click.

"They won't be an issue," the Bloodline of Flame answered. "A grand majority of the Order's strength will likely be pulled to attempt to stop Greene's advance towards the Senate building. That should leave only Europa and her direct honor guard for us to deal with."

"It just struck me how completely crazy this plan sounds," Yang commented with a smile. "Luckily for all of us, I think the three of us are _just_ insane enough to pull this off. Still, need to get something out of the way first." Yang punctuated the end of her sentence by grabbing Ryland's cheeks between her hands and kissing him passionately. Idly, Ryan turned away as the orange-haired engineer began to struggle for air. The couple broke away from each other with huge grins stretched across their faces.

"If you two are done," the ex-Lord quipped, "it would probably be better for us to be ready to deploy sooner rather than later."

"Right, sorry," Ryland scratched the back of his head through his messy hair. "We'll be prepped before the Tether sets down."

"Yeah," Yang punched her fists together in front of her. For a moment, her eyes flashed red and a glowing pulse passed through her hair. "Then, we'll teach that bitch a lesson."

* * *

"My Lords," a Knight stepped into a ruined conference room within the Mistral Senate building, taking a bow as he entered. Four of the five Lords sat idly around a wooden oval-shaped table. Golem sat with his eyes closed, seemingly meditating. The Bloodline of Earth's gaze cracked open to stare annoyedly at the Knight. Europa looked up from a bag of chips she was nibbling on, one of the crisps held gingerly between the fingers of her newly built prosthetic arm. Enigma noiselessly shifted, rising to her feet, her expression once again hidden by her helmet. Carnage moved anything but silently, red lights coursing across the Lord's artificial body as he awoke from his slumber. The Knight gulped hesitantly at the room. "L-Lord Agony wishes to speak with all of you right away..."

"Tell him that we will arrive shortly," Golem answered kindly as he stood. The Knight nodded and fled the conference room with as much haste as he could muster. "We had best not keep the High Lord waiting. It wouldn't do for any of us to disappoint him further."

"Piss off," Europa replied hostilly, though she rose to her feet anyway, tossing the bag of chips carelessly into a corner of the destroyed room.

"Arguing... will only... delay us... more..." Enigma stated between sharp, painful breaths.

"Are you well, Enigma?" Golem inquired, "You sound like you have been in pain since returning from your pursuit of Senator Nikos."

"Lord Agony... was not... pleased... with my results..." the small Lord answered as the Bloodline of Earth began to lead them towards their destination. "He... grew more furious... when I asked... about... the other girls..."

"What other girls?" Carnage growled, speaking up for the first time. The heavy metal of his body caused the floors of the Senate building to creak unhappily.

"The one... called 'Eve'... and the other... that looks... nearly... the same..." Enigma answered.

"Ah," Carnage rumbled. "They are your siblings, Lord Agony's failed attempts at creating a perfect Human prior to you. They were defective, so the Order disposed of them."

"What is... a 'sibling'?" Enigma asked. Carnage's body imperceptibly tensed. Lord Agony would not be pleased if they had to "dispose" of another of his few living creations.

"Not something you need to concern yourself with," Golem cut in with a disarming smile. "You should not distract yourself with such needless thoughts."

"Okay..." Enigma nodded, causing Carnage to relax behind her. The small Lord slowly pulled ahead of the other three and out of earshot. Golem turned to glare at Carnage. He had seen the metal Lord ready a massive hand to reach out and crush Enigma's head in his grasp. Sensing the building tension and wanting to get involved in none of it, Europa quickened her pace, leaving the two male Lords trailing behind.

"You truly are nothing but a beast," Golem snarled. "Have you no sense of honor? You would kill a small girl while her back was turned?"

"You talk about Enigma as if she's Human," Carnage growled. "She isn't. She is _property_ of Lord Agony. A _tool_. And when a tool breaks and cannot be repaired, it is thrown away." The metal Lord suddenly found himself smashed into the nearest wall, a white glyph hovering beside Golem. Wordlessly, the Bloodline of Earth dismissed the floating sigil and walked hastily down the hallway. Carnage stared angrily at the other Lord's retreating form as he pulled himself from the sizable dent he had left in the wall. "And perhaps Enigma isn't the only one in need of replacement..."

* * *

"Lord Agony," Golem greeted, his boots clanking against the floor as he entered into the ruined chamber that had been the Senate assembly room. The blood-haired Agony's back was turned away from the stands where Europa and Enigma had seated themselves. A large spire-like device sat in the center of the circular room, with open panels and wires strewn everywhere.

"Golem," Agony acknowledged. "Where is Carnage?"

"He should be arriving soon," the Bloodline of Earth replied. As if on cue, the massive Lord came lumbering into the assembly chamber, shaking small bits of debris and kicking up dust with each heavy step. Carnage snarled and took a series of aggressive steps towards Golem.

"Carnage," Agony warned menacingly. "Whatever grievance you have with Golem may wait until we have returned to our own world."

"So, speaking of that," Europa spoke up, leaning back with her feet up in one of the Senate's chairs, "is this thing our ticket back home?" She inclined her head towards the spire.

"Indeed it is," Agony nodded. "This device should serve to open a gateway for our forces to depart this world. Once we are away, I will detonate it so we cannot be followed."

"And that'll probably strand the EDC and those Guardians here," Europa said.

"For a time, perhaps," Agony replied. "I have little doubt that the Guardian they call 'Architect' has been working on a similar method of traveling to this world to 'rescue' their friends."

"Still, any time we gain is an advantage for us," Europa shrugged.

"Yes..." Carnage's metallic skull-like face split into a hungry grin. "With many of their Bloodlines trapped here, the EDC will be vulnerable..."

"That is the optimal result, yes," Agony affirmed. "In the meantime, I require all of you to keep this position from falling. The residents of Mistral have proven to be more tenacious than we originally anticipated." The other four Lords nodded solemnly as Agony continued to hand out orders to them.

Enigma sat down in a corner of an isolated room on her own. Shakily, she removed her helmet, taking a careful look at her own face in the shattered glass of a window. Long, messy locks of blood-red hair fell down her shoulders, reaching to her back. Through her uncut bangs, she could make out the faintest outline of her emerald-green eyes.

Enigma was quite clear on the method of her "birth", Lord Agony had wasted no time in telling her that she was artificial. Carnage had said the other two girls were defective earlier attempts at creating her... The small Lord shook her head, quickly shoving her helmet back into its proper place. Agony grew angry whenever he saw her face, that was why she hid it.

For a moment, Enigma remembered her encounter with Eve and the other, similar looking woman. When they had seen her face, their expressions had puzzled her. Unlike Agony, they hadn't looked disgusted with her appearance. There had been... worry... grief... sorrow... for _her_. Enigma didn't understand it. Maybe... if she saw them again... she'd ask about it... as long as Lord Agony didn't find out...

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **Little bit of a shorter build-up chapter today.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

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	43. Chapter 42

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 42**_

Chess looked around him as he followed the three Maidens through the overgrown forest between Vacuo and Vale. The trees were so thick that only tiny beams of light managed to shine through the tangled canopy of branches and leaves. Twisted roots snaked in every conceivable direction, overlapping and creating knots which occasionally caused a member of their group to trip and fall. Still, despite the dreary scenery, Chess found himself in relatively good spirits at the moment. Melody's hand was tightly intertwined with his own, and the silver-haired girl took every available opportunity to flash the Bloodline an overjoyed smile or wrap him in a warm embrace.

"What time of day is it, anyway?" Amber asked from ahead of the couple, attempting to peer through the twisted mass of plant life above them.

"Just past noon, I think," Cherri answered, quickly stumbling as her foot caught in a looping tree root. "It's... really quiet out here, don't you think?"

"We're so far away from any sort of settlement," Melody spoke up, hugging Chess' arm close to her, "there probably aren't many Grimm. Since they're attracted to negative emotions, most of them have probably swarmed towards the Kingdoms and surrounding towns..."

"I hadn't actually considered that..." Cherri trailed off. "We'd better finish with Shiro quickly so we can go back and help with the Grimm."

"Sounds fun..." Amber quipped with a soft smirk. Chess found himself smiling gently as his three companions continued to chat with each other. However, his mirth evaporated as his ears detected the distinct sound of a loudly snapping branch. He came to a halt, freezing Melody, who was still holding onto him, in her tracks as well. Amber and Cherri both came to complete stops when they noticed Chess rapidly scanning the trees around them.

"What's wrong?" Melody asked, joining the snow-haired Bloodline in searching their surroundings.

"You didn't hear that?" Chess replied. "That loud snapping noise?"

"I didn't hear a thing," Amber answered.

"Neither did I," Cherri added.

"Chess," Melody placed her hand on his forehead, "are you okay?"

"I..." the ex-Lord trailed off. Had it been his imagination? A blur of movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Chess whirled to around to face whatever it was, stepping between Melody and the unknown entity.

"Chess, there's nothing there..." Melody said worriedly, wrapping her arms around his chest. "Cherri, maybe we should stop and rest... This forest is starting to play tricks on us."

"First clearing we come across, we'll set up camp for the day," the Maiden of Spring nodded softly. "You're right, even I'm starting to feel exhausted..."

"Let's keep up the pace for a while longer, then," Amber added gently. "The sooner we find a clearing, the sooner we can all relax for a bit."

As he followed the Maidens through the woods, Chess began to wonder whether he was losing his mind. Melody held onto him tightly as the Bloodline's head turned in search of sounds or movement that none of them could see. The noises Chess could hear slowly became less and less natural. Chains clanking and breaking, nails across metal, and many more sounds seemed to echo from around him.

 _What's happening?_ Chess thought, hoping Mini would be able to answer. No response came. _Mini?_ Silence. The small boy had seemingly vanished. A steady ringing tone filled Chess' ears, rising to an ear splitting volume. The Bloodline placed a hand to his head and grit his teeth. He began to feel dizzy, and the forest seemed to spin and swirl around him.

"Chess!" Melody's voice was muffled, as if she were far away. "You're bleeding!" Dazedly, the Bloodline touched the area above his lip with two fingers, finding them covered with crimson liquid. Sudden, blinding pain coursed through his body, as if every nerve in his body had been dipped in corrosive acid. Chess vaguely felt himself begin to fall. For the first time in recent memory, he let out a scream of sheer agony. "Chess!"

Melody continued to shout his name as Chess flailed and spasmed in response to the excruciating pain being inflicted upon him. The Bloodline of Chaos could no longer even hear her voice over his own cries. The young Maiden was gripping him tightly, attempting to prevent Chess from hurting himself.

 _This is your reward for defying me, you filthy brat,_ his mother's voice spat. _You dared to try and lock me away... but your foolish attempts at being "normal" have made you weak. No prison you make will hold me forever._

 _Go... to... hell!_ Chess shouted internally. He vaguely registered the worried and shocked expressions on the Maidens. The young Bloodline realized he must have screamed the words out loud as well. Cherri and Amber were desperately trying to assist Melody in keeping Chess' struggling from inflicting injuries on either himself or Melody.

 _Why would I need to go to hell?_ An apparition of Chess' mother appeared, as pale-skinned, white-haired, and red-eyed as the last day she had been alive. A twisted smile rested on her face as she sat idly on the trunk of a fallen tree. _Why would I need to go when you're already here with me?_ Chess could only make a growling sound in response between the stabs of pain lancing across his body. _I've been watching you, you know... At first, I thought that girl would only serve to be a nuisance... but she honestly believes she can "save" you!_ Chess' mother laughed, an eerily girlish sound for a woman of her age. _That's how I ended up conceiving you, after all... your idiot father thought that he could "fix" me. As if anything was broken in the first place. He was fun to play with. Perhaps you could do the same with-_

 _NO! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! I'LL DIE BEFORE I HURT MELODY!_

 _You really must give up on this. Playing house is unbecoming for someone with your potential,_ Chess' mother said tiredly. _Unless any of those girls can serve as a vessel to pass on the power of Chaos, they're useles-_

 _Shut up!_ Chess screamed, _They're more of a family to me than you ever were!_ The young Bloodline glared at his mother's seat atop the fallen tree. Suddenly the smirking expression across the older Chaos Inheritor's face vanished. The three Maidens gazes were wide-eyed as they traced Chess' line of sight. They were staring right Chess' mother.

 _How can they- What is this!?_ the older Chaos demanded, her face twisting into a mixture of surprise, fury, and confusion. Suddenly, in her moment of distraction, long twisting chains burst from the air around her. The metal bonds snaked themselves around Chess' mother, pulling her into a black void that opened up behind her. _You can lock me up as many times as you want, you brats! But you'll never win! I will destroy everything you hold-_

The woman's mad ravings were cut off as the void closed around her. Silently, Mini's phantom-like presence appeared in the space between the log where the old Chaos had been and the pile consisting of the Maidens and Chess. The boy's form was beaten badly. Long slashes were cut deep into his skin, some even exposing bone underneath. The simple shirt Mini wore was in tatters, loosely hanging off his form, revealing the unclosed wounds that covered his chest and back.

 _I- I'm sorry..._ The small boy breathed heavily, his voice echoing through every member of the group's head. _She... broke free... caught me by surprise..._

"Wait," Amber said urgently, "can we slow down and cover what's going on first?"

"Chess... has... a couple... other people living in his head..." Melody explained hesitantly. The Bloodline gently touched the young Maiden's arm, and Melody helped him sit up straight.

"Okay, but how can _we_ see them?" the Maiden of Fall asked.

 _People that Chess has a strong connection with can see and hear us when they are in contact with him,_ Mini explained tiredly.

"And who are you?" Cherri inquired politely, gripping Chess' arm gently. Amber similarly had placed her own hand on his shoulder. Melody was sitting behind Chess and slightly to his side, with her arms wrapped protectively around his chest.

 _I don't technically have a name, but you may call me "Mini". It is the name Melody came up with for me._

"He's me," Chess informed them, "or at least... a sentient fragment of my soul."

"Who was the other one?" Cherri asked, taking a small cloth from her bag to wipe off the blood leaking from Chess' nostrils.

 _That was... our mother..._ Mini answered, anger seeping into his tone.

"Your _mother_!?" Amber responded loudly. "And she did _this_ to you!?" The Maiden of Fall gestured towards both Chess' and Mini's injuries. "What kind of _bitch_ would-"

"Amber," Melody spoke softly, "there's no point in yelling right now..." The young Maiden tightened her hold on Chess. "I'm just glad Chess is alright..."

"How is she doing this to you, Chess?" Cherri asked gently. "Maybe there's a way for us to help you."

 _Unfortunately, that is not the case..._ Mini answered for the Bloodline. _Our mother is our curse in a way. She is a part of us we cannot get rid of in our current state, only try to lock away._

"There must be _something_ we can do..." Amber said sadly. "You said Chess had to have a strong connection with us, maybe there's a way for us to-"

"A "strong connection" means that I trust you... That I view you as family," Chess explained softly. A pit of helplessness seemed to have settled itself in his stomach. The Maidens- no. Amber... Cherri... Melody... They wanted to help him... but there was nothing they could really do.

"We can't... just give up..." Melody stated, leaning her head into Chess' back. Soft patches of warm moisture informed the young Bloodline that she was crying. He gently grasped one of the silver-haired girl's hands in his own. "Maybe... Maybe there's something we can do, you just haven't thought of it yet..."

 _Melody..._ Mini trailed off sadly. _I've looked over our past countless times... I've run endless scenarios and possibilities... but I've never-_

"Then you haven't looked at things in the right way!" Melody yelled. "There's always a way to fix things! Maybe one of us can see something you missed!"

"Melody," Cherri placed a calming hand on the young Maiden's shoulder, "you don't need to yell at Mini..." The Maiden of Spring looked around them, catching sight of a pale light in the distance. "I believe there's a clearing nearby, let's get there first, then we can continue talking." Reluctantly, Melody nodded her head and rose to her feet, red impressions of the roots on the forest floor painfully pressed into her skin.

It wasn't a far walk compared to the rest of their journey, but Chess felt like it was an eternity before their group stumbled into the clearing. Melody kept stealing terrified glances at him, as if she were worried he would vanish if she didn't keep checking. Amber was unusually quiet, a silent, furious expression burned into her eyes. Cherri was doing her best to be the calm one out of all of them, but her concern was still easily seen. The clearing they entered into was rather small, with barely fifteen feet of space in any direction from the center. Gently, the four of them sat down on the grass, as the sun slowly began to pass below the edge of the treeline.

 _I'm... not sure what to do..._ Mini stated to Chess. _I am not sure how to explain to them that there is no way to remove or permanently silence our mother... That simply is not how Bloodlines work..._

 _Mother mentioned... our father... but I don't remember him..._ Chess replied, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

 _Our memories of him reside in me,_ Mini explained. _When I broke off from the rest of your soul, your experiences with him were one of the things that came with me..._

"Mini," Melody seated herself beside Chess and grabbed the young Bloodline's body in her arms again, "Please... I know there must be many painful things in Chess' past... but I need you to tell me..."

"We might not find anything," Amber added, placing a hand on Chess' shoulder while she stood, "but at least we'd be able to understand everything a bit better."

"From what I remember from my past..." Chess trailed off, "things were... unpleasant... If Mini's been holding onto more of that... I don't know if I want to expose you all to-"

"Unfortunately for you," Melody interrupted forcefully, "I don't really care. You promised to protect me, so let me at least _try_ to do the same for you!"

"I agree," Cherri added as she set her pack down, joining the others in the grass. "We won't know unless we try."

"Are you all sure about this?" Chess asked, a hint of worry edging into his voice. "I can't even remember everything..."

 _I can..._ Mini sighed. _I suppose... if we can trust anyone with our past... it will be the three of you... But Chess is right... you must be absolutely certain that you're willing to-_

"I am," Melody stated firmly.

"So am I."

"It seems we are all in agreement," Cherri smiled gently. "Take your time, Chess, you don't have to rush to tell us your story..."

 _Chess won't need to speak..._ Mini said, _I will show you..._ The trio of Maidens and Chess suddenly found themselves standing in a dark-gray, almost black, void. Voices whispered around them, causing Melody to edge closer to the young Bloodline. Mini stood before them, a solemn expression painted across his face. _Let us begin..._

* * *

Melody saw colors begin to flow around them, slowly swirling and coalescing into a room. It was an ugly, gray-walled cube of a room, with a single dirty window facing out into the world outside. Melody caught sight of tall buildings, skyscrapers like those in Mountain Glenn, towering outside the window. In the center of the room, sat a man and a small child. Their voices were muffled, though their lips moved in accordance with the sound.

"Why can't we hear them?" Melody asked, noticing that the others were still standing nearby.

 _That's because I can no longer recall the exact words spoken,_ Mini explained sadly. _I remember that a conversation took place, but I can't remember what was said._ Melody nodded her head understandingly. She took the time to observe the pair in the room more closely. The child was clearly a very young Chess, perhaps only three years old, in comparison to Mini, who appeared to be around eight.

The man appeared to be in his mid-twenties. He was pale-skinned, and had a thin physique. Short dark hair sat atop his head. However, the thing that stood out most to Melody was the man's eyes. They were a warm, caring blue, that watched over the young Chess with a deep pride. This was Chess' father.

The young Bloodline and his father continued to stare at a small book laid out on the grungy carpet on which they sat. Judging by the back-and-forth speech of their conversation, and by how Chess' father would pat the young child affectionately every time Chess spoke, Melody realized that the man was teaching his young son to read.

The peaceful, warm-hearted scene suddenly shattered, as the door of the room was flung open with a crash. Chess' father stood, stepping between his son and the woman who had entered the room. Chess' mother yelled inaudible words at the man, summoning shadows just like Chess that whipped angrily through the air around her. The dark extensions snatched and tore up the small book into small pieces. For the first time, Melody and the others were able to pick out a few words that Mini clearly remembered.

"-Not what the boy should be learning! He needs to learn to be strong and embrace his power! Not become some simpering fool!" Chess' mother screamed.

"What he needs," Chess' father replied calmly, "is to learn how to function properly in the world. His powers can't help him do that."

The conversation became inaudible once again as Mini forgot the exact words that were being said. The tiny Chess sat on the floor behind his father, watching his mother's shadows with a terrified expression on his face. The argument continued to go back and forth, when suddenly, Chess' mother twitched, and one of her shadows lashed across the man's throat. Melody covered her mouth in horror as Chess' father fell onto the carpet and began to stain the carpet crimson. To make matters worse, the man did not cry out in pain, nor curse or gurgle at his killer. Instead, as the young Chess raced over to check on his father, the man gave his son and the mother of his child one last _apologetic_ look. No words were spoken, but Melody saw his eyes fill with sorrow at being unable to save the woman and small boy before him. The young Chess shook his father as the man grew still.

"Da-" the small Chess choked out, tears streaming down his face. His mother took several steps forward, grabbing the small boy and throwing him to the side.

"An Inheritor of our Bloodline does not _cry_ ," the woman snarled. "If you wish to blubber, then I will give you something to shed tears over." Chess' mother's shadows sprung forth, digging into the small child's skin. Melody felt sick, as if she would vomit at any second.

"Stop it!" the young Maiden screamed as the small Chess was beaten and slashed before her very eyes. "Leave him alone!"

 _They cannot hear you,_ Mini said softly. _All of this has already passed..._

The scene around the group wavered and faded, replaced by a different, equally dreary room, this time with walls of cement. Melody heard Amber make a sound halfway between a gasp and an uneasy gulp. It didn't take long for her to realize why. On the floor lay the carelessly strewn bloody remains of countless living beings, both Human and animal. Melody saw the older Chess' fist tighten into a ball. They had arrived at a place he remembered, even if the he could not recall the event.

The door of the room burst open, Chess' mother leading a slightly older version of her son inside. A small rodent struggled viciously in her hand. The woman held the creature out to her child.

"Go on, kill it."

Hesitantly, the young Chess took the flailing creature from his mother, and sat on the blood-covered floor. Small wispy shadows crawled out from underneath the small boy, wavering uneasily in the air for several moments.

"What are you waiting for, idiot? Do it."

The small Chess closed his eyes and the shadows formed into the bladed tendrils that Melody had seen him use many times before. The tiny rodent struggled more intensely, sensing its imminent demise. The blades stabbed forward, impaling the small creature. Its blood leaked out onto the young Chess' hands, dripping onto the floor.

"Good," Chess' mother pat her child's head. Melody felt a rage build up inside her chest at the genuinely _overjoyed_ smile the woman had on her face. "I'll make a true Inheritor of Chaos out of you yet."

The scenes began to shift rapidly, but the room remained intact. Every time Chess and his mother reentered the room, they were just a little bit older. Chess' mother was working the boy up to larger prey. After the rat, she had him slaughter birds, rabbits, cats, dogs... and finally people. The small Chess began to smile when he ended a living being's existence, after all, it made his mother happy.

Melody wanted to turn away, but couldn't. The silver-haired Maiden edged closer and closer to the Chess she knew, tightly grasping his hand to let him know she was still beside him. The Bloodline responded with an appreciative squeeze. Melody could feel him shaking.

The three Maiden's noticeably flinched as the small pale-haired boy slowly descended into madness. Shivers passed down their spines as the child let out a bone-chilling laugh. The scene faded once again.

When it reformed, the young Chaos Inheritor was standing in his mother's room while she slept. At this point, he looked exactly like Mini. There were no words spoken, but Melody, Amber, and Cherri could understand the situation as if they could hear the child's thoughts. For years, Chess' mother had taught him to kill stronger and stronger prey, always searching for something stronger to assert their superiority over. In the small Bloodline's mind, there was only one creature left that he considered strong. Mother.

Melody saw the boy's face split open into an eager grin. Horrified, she watched the young Bloodline summon the bladed tendrils of shadow. The young Maiden couldn't bring herself to continue, and turned away, burying her face in her Chess' chest. She felt his arms close gently around her as she covered her ears in an attempt to drown out the horrid sounds behind her.

"I- I did it!" the young Chess cried breathlessly. "I beat her! I won!" Melody felt her blood chill.

 _Excellent job,_ Chess' mother's voice echoed around them. _I was wondering when you'd take the next step. It seems you're ready after all..._ The small Chess wailed in despair and frustration. _Don't be upset. Mother will make sure you grow strong..._

Once again, the scene faded and rapidly began to change. Chess continued to grow older and older, killing countless people at his mother's behest. Melody began to shake violently as the images from Chess' time as Lord Chaos began to play. Countless bodies, voices screaming for mercy, blood everywhere. All perpetrated by someone with the same face as the person she loved with all her heart.

"Mini! Please stop!" Melody cried. "Please... I can't..."

* * *

Melody opened her eyes. All of them were back in the clearing in the middle of the clearing in the woods. A harsh wind shook the trees around them. The sun had seemingly long-since set, leaving all of them cloaked in darkness. The three Maidens couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.

"Chess?" Melody called, realizing that the young Bloodline was not were he had been. Instead, the snow-haired boy was seated a good distance away from them with his back against a tree. "What are you doing over there?"

"Melody- I-" Chess tried to speak, but found that he couldn't find the words. A pair of silvery tears, gleaming in the moonlight, fell to the ground at the Bloodline's feet. "I'm- I'm a mon-"

"No! You aren't!" Melody yelled firmly. "You're Chess, and that's all I or anyone else need you to be!" The silver-haired Maiden ran over to him, quickly throwing her arms around the distraught Bloodline. After exchanging a glance, Amber and Cherri both joined the pair, doing their best to embrace both Chess and Melody in their arms.

Then, for the first time he could remember, Chess cried. As he shook, he hugged Melody. Not the pitiful, awkward attempts at embraces he had tried before, but an actual, heartfelt grasp. He held onto her tightly, as if she were his only lifeline in the middle of an ocean of despair and pain.

"It's okay, Chess," Melody rested her forehead against his, "you aren't alone anymore."

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **I continue to write as fast as I can. Today, we finally get a glimpse into Chess' past!** **Dark themes!** **Dark themes everywhere!**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **Skaana: Well, think about it, none of them were ever soldiers. The Auras that comprise the Order might wield a lot of power, but ultimately the only things holding the organization together are Agony, Carnage, and a handful of really zealous loyalists.**


	44. Chapter 43

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 43**_

Alex was the first to disembark the Tether as the ship's ramp thudded onto the grass-covered ground below them. Ryland had expertly set the Corvette down in the cover of a thick copse of emerald trees, which would hide the craft from the Order's ships hovering menacingly in the distance. The blond soldier was keenly aware of Dimitri's heavy steps behind him and to his right, accompanied by the sounds of Marcia, Firo, and Luna's lighter footfalls.

"Clear," Alex stated after scanning the trees for Grimm. The others began to disembark the Tether quickly, filing out in a loose spread around the ship's exit. "Ruby, can I ask you to scout ahead?"

"Sure thing, Alex," Ruby nodded firmly. "What do you want me to do about any Grimm I run into?"

"Up to you, just don't tire yourself out too much," Alex answered.

"In that case, you've got one monster-cleared pathway coming right up," the cloaked student pulled up her hood and vanished into the forest. Alex watched the patch of trees where the girl had departed worriedly for a moment before shaking his head. He had to trust her to do her part, not micromanage his friend's every move.

"Alright, I've got all the equipment I need," Cinder reported, hefting a large bag over her shoulder. The black-haired woman squinted her eyes at the rising sun in the distance. "We'd better get moving while there's still some darkness left to hide us."

"Right," Alex nodded. "D, you and I are on point. Jerloh, you and Alyia cover our backs, make sure nothing too nasty sneaks up on us."

"Gotcha," the Terror Inheritor affirmed.

"We'll handle it, Alex," Alyia added. The blond soldier continued to dole out orders and positions to the various members of their group, and the party began to pick their way through the trees. Ruby came bursting through the trees, rejoining the others. Leaves and small twigs clung to her hair.

"There are a bunch of Grimm patrolling the edge of the wall around the city," she reported. "We could hear gunfire coming from the other side."

"I guess the resistance started without us," Marcia commented. "Still, as long as those creatures aren't blocking our entrance, they shouldn't be a problem."

"We have no time to waste, regardless of the Grimm," Peleus stated with fire in his eyes. The Senator and Pyrrha quickened their pace. Over the next three hours, the companions did their best to maintain a brisk march towards Mistral, occasionally stumbling over a twisted root or wayward stone. Slowly, but surely, the wall around the city drew closer and closer, eventually towering over them. Grimm of all sorts clambered and scratched at the giant stone perimeter desperately, hungry for the flesh of the warring forces inside. It seemed that the flying Grimm had ascertained their situation far better than their grounded brethren. Nevermores and Griffons both circled ominously around the outskirts of the wall, clearing eying the floating ships which now cast long shadows across the land below.

Alex lifted his arm with a closed fist, signaling the others to stop just short of exiting the edge of the forest. The blond soldier crouched down in the thick underbrush as Luna pulled up beside him with a pair of binoculars to search for their entrance. The other members of their party kept their eyes and weapons trained on the ravenous horde that frothed and roared less than two-hundred meters from them.

"I can't see it," Luna reported frustratedly. "Are the Grimm sitting on top of it?"

"Here," Peleus held out his hand, "let me take a look." The azure-haired woman willingly handed over the binoculars and took a quiet step back into the trees as the Senator moved into her place. For several moments, Peleus scanned the side of the wall, looking for the large grate he and Eve had entered through once before. Once they were through, resistance forces would be waiting for them on the other side, they just needed to- "I found it. It's that particularly thick patch of vines growing along the wall."

"Well," Cinder breathed, "that's a problem. There's nothing standing between here and the wall. If those Grimm see us and we have to fight, we can say goodbye to our element of surprise."

"We're going to have to move fast then," Alex grit his teeth. "If the Grimm rush us, hold off on firearms until you don't have a choice." The others nodded their understanding. With a rustle, Alex rose back into a standing position and motioned the rest of the group forward. The blond soldier made sure that he was between Luna and Ruby and the Grimm. Dimitri was noticeably doing the same with Blake and Firo as they all crossed over the bare grass growing in the shadow of the wall. Ryan moved to assist Peleus in freeing the grate from its binds of foliage. Pyrrha was at their side, using her weapon's sword form to hack away at the plant life. Suddenly, with an ear-piecing screech, the grate was pulled free. The group flinched as the heads of all the nearby Grimm snapped towards them.

" _Shit_ ," Ryland muttered.

"Get through the hole!" Alex ordered quickly as a large Ursa Major roared and lumbered towards them. Peleus and Pyrrha jumped through the open grate without question, taking Lex by the hand with them. The five Bloodlines among their group readied their weapons as the horde rumbled forward.

"Wait, wait!" Cinder said loudly. "I still have a way out of this." She dropped the bag on her shoulder to the ground and began frantically rifling through it.

"Cinder..." Alex warned as the stampeding Grimm drew closer. The blond soldier leveled his rifle at the oncoming creatures, bracing himself to open fire if needed. Ruby, Weiss, and Blake were covering Yang and Ryland as the couple dropped down through the hole.

"Hold _on_ ," Cinder replied urgently, "I know it's here somewhere..."

"Cinder!" Alex shouted.

"Got it!" the black-haired woman pulled a large white Dust crystal from her pack. The shining object easily filled her fist with its size. In one fluid motion, Cinder hurled the crystal against the side of the wall, unleashing a bright flash of light. Alex felt a wave of cold pass over them. The lead Ursa Major suddenly came of a resounding halt as its head smashed into the side of a newly-created sphere of thick ice. The other Grimm clambered over the rounded surface, angrily looking for a way to get at the people inside the frozen orb.

"Good work, Cinder..." Alex breathed, lowering his rifle from his shoulder. Dimitri helped Blake and Firo into the hole behind him.

"Well, it's much quieter than shooting at them," Cinder shrugged. "This should buy us some time to get through to the other side of the wall." Ryan followed Eve and Elise through the open grate. Dimitri and Jerloh were ushering Luna and Ruby through right behind them.

"You made a good call," Alex patted Cinder on the shoulder, staring warily at the dark creatures swarming and scrambling over the sphere of ice.

"Don't thank me yet," the dark-haired woman replied. "It might be holding for now, but with all these Grimm, it'll eventually-" A loud breaking noise interrupted her as a spiderweb of damage appeared in the sphere, courtesy of the same irritated Ursa Major. "It'll eventually do that..." The cracks slowly began to spread.

"Time to go," Alex stated firmly, grabbing Cinder by the forearm. Jerloh was the last one waiting, levitating the grate in the air with his Secondary Ability. Once Cinder and Alex dropped through the hole, the Terror Inheritor followed, smashing the grate back into its home behind him. The sound of shattering ice echoed through the tunnel as the Grimm crushed the icy barrier under their sheer weight. The Ursa's face appeared in the grate, its teeth closing around the bars. It roared angrily as its food picked up their belongings and disappeared deeper into the darkness.

* * *

"He's here!" a woman's voice shouted as Peleus rose out of the end of the tunnel. Alex looked around at the crowd of people around them as he offered Luna a hand out of the hole in the ground. Soldiers and civilians, men and women of all ages and histories were gathered.

"Senator Nikos," a man wearing what Alex assumed to be an officer's uniform greeted. "It is good to see you. The enemy suddenly began making incursions back out into the city this morning."

"I can both see and hear that..." Peleus nodded solemnly, gazing at rising wisps of smoke deeper into the city. Alex noticed Pyrrha tighten her grip on her weapon as she looked around at the destruction of her home. Surprisingly, Eve rested a hand on the redheaded student's shoulder for a moment. The small gesture seemed to cause Pyrrha to relax slightly. "If the fighting has already started, then we have no time to waste. Alex-"

"I'll get everyone on their way," the blond soldier finished the Senator's thought. "You just concentrate on holding things together behind the front."

"And keep an eye on Lex for me," Jerloh added with a grin. On cue, the small girl grabbed Pyrrha's hand, spreading an infectious smile to the student.

"You all make sure not to die," Cinder ordered.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Ryland flashed a thumbs up and a toothy grin as the group split into their smaller teams. "Good luck, Bossman. Sarge. Try to hold out until we kick Europa's ass, alright?"

"Of course," Dimitri nodded. "Yang, I hope you'll be keeping our resident fool in one piece. As much as we probably hate to admit it, thing's wouldn't be the same without him."

"I'll make sure he doesn't lose anything too important," Ruby's sister smirked.

"I knew you all cared," the orange-haired engineer laughed.

"We'll attempt to meet up with all of you as quickly as possible," Elise stated cheerily.

The teams quickly dispersed, jogging off towards their different intended targets. The resistance forces were currently engaged along three different fronts, each led by a Lord. Their plan remained largely unchanged. While three of the teams fought against their respective enemy commanders, Alex's squad would push right towards the Senate building, drawing reinforcements away from the Lords. Behind the blond soldier's group was a large contingent of the people of Mistral, both soldiers and not.

"Senator Nikos," the Mistral officer said, "allow me to guide you and you companions to the radio tower. We already have everything set up for you."

"Thank you," Peleus nodded gratefully. The distant sounds of gunfire and explosions drifted through the air as Peleus, Pyrrha, Cinder, and Lex approached the tall metal spire that had once served as the Kingdom's sole means of city-wide communication. It was a horribly outdated structure, with dozens of thick wires running into the ground.. At the time of its creation, Peleus recalled, the radio tower had been a marvel of engineering, but it had been eclipsed into obsolescence by the dawn of the scroll and the Cross-Continental Communications Towers, and then left to rot. Today, though, the radio tower would live once more.

Peleus stepped through a door the officer held open for him, entering into a dusty room filled with electronics most people under the age of twenty would consider ancient. The Senator smiled to himself as Pyrrha, Cinder, and Lex looked around the old room in confusion. Aside from serving as a conduit to relay their commands, the rusty old tower had one last trick up its sleeve. Peleus doubted that the Order had payed much mind to the wireless speakers that were spread across rooftops around the city. The Senator knew that other pockets of Mistral citizens were either trapped behind enemy lines or too frightened to fight. The tower would allow him to reach out to them, potentially bolstering their numbers.

"Is it transmitting?" Peleus asked, seating himself at a dusty table with a small microphone standing on top of it. He could see the city through the windows of the tower, his home taking on a dull, brownish-gray through the filthy glass. In the blurry reflection, he noticed another officer helping Cinder keep in contact with their forces in the field using a different terminal in the room. Pyrrha was watching the door diligently, Lex plastered to her side.

"Yes, Sir."

"Then I believe it is time..." Peleus cleared his throat. With a deep breath, he pressed down on the button to activate the small stand microphone.

* * *

Alex turned to look at the roof of a building as a loud crackling noise erupted out of a large black cube. It took him a moment to realize what it was.

 _"_ _People of Mistral, this is Senator Peleus Nikos."_

Alex's attention was drawn away from Peleus' voice by Dimitri, who pointed out a charging line of Shades coming towards them. It seemed the Order had noticed their advance alongside the residents of the Kingdom. All those present quickly moved to cover, spreading out and firing at the Order's dark puppets.

 _"_ _Today, I speak to you not as a politician, but as a fellow resident of our Kingdom. Our Home."_

A particularly large Fenrir Shade hopped over Alex's cover, where it was quickly dispatched by a swing of Ruby's scythe. Blake supported Dimitri and Firo, picking off any Shades that passed through her companions' cone of fire in one piece.

 _"_ _At this time, Mistral is in its most desperate hour. We fight an enemy far beyond any challenge we have faced before."_

The staccato of gunfire ceased, small wisps of dust and smoke rising from the dissipating bodies of the Shades. Alex motioned his team forward as the people of Mistral unleashed a collective might roar, rushing forward deeper into the city. More Shades, this time accompanied by Acolytes, began to pour out from further down the road.

"Well," Marcia commented with an eager smirk, "I guess it really will be like old times." She flipped the visor on her helmet down so it covered her face. "It'll be a hell of a day."

* * *

 _"_ _Like all of you, I have lost family and friends to this incursion._ _"_

"Man, Pyrrha's dad has a serious speaking voice," Ryland quipped. "It's like a high-school debate class, only with more shooting."

"A _what_?" Yang asked.

"I'll explain later," the engineer scratched the back of his head. "I forgot Remnant doesn't really have the time to teach everybody about politics with the Grimm milling around everywhere..."

 _"_ _So, today, I ask you to help me. To help your neighbors. Your brothers and sisters._ _Rise up with the brave souls who have already begun to fight back!_ _Repel these invaders that would seek to take everything from us! Rise up and stand together! For Mistral!_ _For our home!_ _"_

"God, can't you do something to shut that off?" a familiar woman's voice yelled in irritation. Ryan signaled for Ryland and Yang to stop. The trio moved around a corner to gauge their next move.

"S-sorry, Lord Europa, there are just too many speakers for us to-" the response stopped short as a roar echoed across the city. Thousands of voices screaming "for Mistral" as loud as they could. There was a pause from the out-of-sight Knight. "Lord Agony has just issued the command for us to dedicate more forces to the-"

"Then you'd better get going," Europa growled icily. There was the sound of heavy boots scampering away. The Lord whirled around as two burning presences flared to life at her back. An expression of irritation and anger flashed across the Lord's face as Ryan, Yang, and Ryland stepped into the road. Yang's eyes glowed like hot coals as the student knocked her fists together. Ryan had his ability flared, causing the air temperature to rise into sweltering levels. Ryland loaded the railgun in his arm and leveled it at the Lord.

"What's up, bitch?" Ryland smirked, "remember us?"

* * *

"Peleus made a good speech," Elise observed. She and Eve were both perched high atop the roof of a building, staring down at the city as the residents let out their collective cry of war.

"Yes, he certainly did," Eve nodded slightly. "But, we have more important things to do."

"Right," Elise agreed. "We need to find Enig-"

"I am... here..." the small Lord's presence appeared suddenly behind the sister Bloodlines of Light and Sorrow.

"Well, problem solved," Elise stated cheerily.

"Nothing _ever_ dampens your spirits, does it?" Eve inquired. The two oldest of the "sisters" dropped into readied combat stances. To their surprise, Enigma only cocked her head at them instead of charging. "Something's wrong... Why isn't she attacking?"

"I..." Enigma answered by shakily taking off her helmet. "I... have... a lot... of questions..."

* * *

Weiss scanned the rooftops warily for Golem, in case the Lord jumped out at them. To the Schnee's dismay, Jerloh and Alyia did not even bother to watch their surroundings, instead leisurely strolling down one of Mistral's main roads, occasionally stopping to pick off wayward Shades.

"The Order's up to something," Alyia said suddenly, jarring Weiss from her mix of nervous and sour thoughts.

"What?" the white-haired student asked. "What do you mean?"

"I think Aly's talking about how, despite how much we were worrying about you girls having to possibly kill Order troops, we've barely seen any Acolytes or Knights," Jerloh answered. "According to what Cinder's been relaying, there are a few popping up here and there, but the vast majority of them seem to have gone up in smoke."

"Where could they all be, then?" Weiss inquired. "What would cause the Order to not use their full force against us?"

"Maybe we should ask _him_ ," Alyia spat. Weiss collided with Alyia's back, making the girl come to a complete stop. The white-haired student peered around the Bloodline of Courage's arm, feeling a grimace of hatred creep onto her face. Ahead of them, Golem sat cross-legged on top of a fallen pillar of snowy marble.

"I was wondering when my turn would come..." the Bloodline of Earth sighed. "You've played directly into his hands... How foolish..."

"We haven't fallen into anyone's trap," Weiss stated, drawing her Dust rapier from its sheath at her waist. "Golem. For killing the man who was both friend and a true father to me, this is where you will die." The Lord appeared uninterested in the Schnee girl's burning expression.

"You'll be doing Agony a favor, honestly," Golem shrugged and rose to his feet, summoning his stone spear from the ground. "This is how he attempts to test or remove... _undesirable_... elements from his Order. Myself, Enigma, Europa... we are all being tested. If we win or survive until Agony's escape plan is ready, we will remain, but if not... he loses nothing he values."

"Why would you follow such a madman!?" Weiss demanded, feeling Jerloh and Alyia begin to circle the Lord.

"Did you not listen the first time we met?" Golem responded. "I care not for Agony's ideals. By accompanying him, I am able to test my strength against the most powerful opponents I could wish for. There is no greater honor or pleasure than that." The Lord smiled calmly, his black hair rustling as an Order dropship screamed over their heads. Weiss' head snapped to the craft for a moment as it bypassed the fighting completely.

"What is that?" she asked, pointing Myrtenaster threateningly.

"As I said..." Golem leveled his weapon at his opponents. Weiss readjusted her stance as the ground trembled beneath her feet. Half a dozen earthen giants sprouted from underneath Mistral's streets, bearing the telltale signs of being some monstrous form of Shade. "You've all played right into Agony's hands..."

* * *

"Senator!" the Mistral officer yelled. "We have reports of a hostile contact heading directly towards us!"

"What?" Cinder looked up in shock from her terminal. "Why would they ignore the fighting in the city?"

"It doesn't matter right now, we-" the officer blanched. Peleus' head whipped towards the window, where he caught sight of the Order dropship speeding towards the radio tower.

"Out! Everybody out, now!" the Senator commanded, grabbing Pyrrha by the arm and doing his best to life Lex with one hand. Cinder quickly abandoned her terminal, and they all dashed out of the tower. A blast rocked the old structure, sending Peleus and the others tumbling over the railing and falling towards the ground far below. The Senator placed himself between Lex and Pyrrha and the ground, letting his aura absorb the force of the impact. Immediately, he felt his energy drain and soreness spread across his entire body. He coughed up a glob of blood, and felt the ribs in his back grind together uncomfortably. Cinder was a short distance away, nursing what looked like a broken arm. The Mistral officer seemed unharmed for the moment, testament to his training.

The sound of groaning metal caught Peleus' immediate attention. A shadow passed over the group as the burning radio tower began to tilt menacingly. With an ear-shattering shriek, the tower's supports broke. Peleus rolled over so he was shielding his daughter and Lex. Cinder was quickly protected by the officer, who tackled her to the ground. The old radio station was reduced to a mass of twisted debris in an instant, screeching and moaning as its massive weight settled.

"Is everyone alright?" the Mistral officer called, letting Cinder wobble to her feet. The black-haired woman stumbled over to check on Peleus and the girls.

"Nothing fatal, I think," Peleus answered wearily.

"Good," Cinder coughed, a trail of crimson liquid dripping from her left nostril, "I wouldn't want to be the one to tell Jerloh we got his daughter killed."

"Oh, I think you have more important matters to worry about than whatever you're talking about," a grumbling voice said. Peleus' blood ran cold at the sound of inhumanly heavy foot steps that shook the ground around them. He turned towards the source of the noise in time to see a massive metal hand crush the unsuspecting Mistral officer in an instant, leaving nothing behind but a bloody pulp of organs and bone fragments. Pyrrha froze beneath her father's protective hold as she saw the giant metallic horror lumber out from the smoke and fire of the collapsed tower. A wide grin split Carnage's skull-like face. "I must say, Senator... It is lovely to see you again."

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **Whew. Wasn't sure how this one was going to turn out. Thankfully, I think the results are actually halfway decent.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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 **Cipher96: That probably won't be the last time before the story ends.**

 **Skaana: Yup, it's only a matter of time.**


	45. Chapter 44

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 44**_

"Father!" Pyrrha yelled as Peleus shoved both her and Lex roughly away from him. The redheaded student let out a cry of shock and anger as Carnage charged the Senator, sending the man flying with a swing of his metallic fist. Peleus rolled along the ground, ignoring the pain lancing through his body to avoid the Lord's attempt to crush his head beneath a giant black foot. The Senator responded with by using his Semblance to create a shower of sharp icy fragments, throwing them against the Lord's skull-like face. Carnage reeled back slightly as his eye sockets were suddenly covered by Peleus' attack.

"Pyrrha! Take Lex and Cinder and run!" Peleus yelled. "I'll try to-"

"I won't leave you!" Pyrrha screamed, calling her weapon to her with her own Semblance. Both father and daughter froze in horror as the Lord cracked the ice covering his mask.

"Nobody will be leaving," Carnage rumbled. "Lord Agony requires that we tie up as many loose ends as possible before the Order departs from this world." Pyrrha flinched as the Lord' gaze fell upon her. "Hmm. Your daughter, Senator? I hope she will provide more of a challenge than her mother di-"

"Monster!" Pyrrha's expression contorted into one of utter rage, and the redheaded girl charged the Lord. Carnage attempted to swat the student away, but Pyrrha ducked under the swing by pushing his arm upwards with her Semblance, and lashed forward with her spear. In a flurry of blows, Pyrrha rapidly switched her weapon between its three forms. A pair of stabs left deep gashes in the Lord's black plating, followed by a series of lightning-fast swings, and punctuated by the weapon's entire magazine being emptied into Carnage's metallic head. Pyrrha continued her assault as the Lord simply stood calmly.

"Pyrrha, No! His armor is too thick!" Peleus said. "Get away from him!" The Senator's daughter stumbled as Carnage stomped his right foot into the ground hard enough to leave a small crater in the cement around them. Pyrrha raised her shield as Carnage followed through with a viscous swing of his arm, sending the girl skidding across the pavement. Quickly, Pyrrha rolled to her feet, discarding her shield, which had been reduced to a twisted and dented sheet of metal in a single blow. "Are you alright?"

"That armor is Polymetal," Pyrrha muttered heatedly, "the same material the EDC uses..."

"I thought that stuff wasn't magnetic," Cinder commented as she rifled through her bag.

"I can slightly manipulate the impurities in the metal," Pyrrha answered. "It might be enough for us to win." Ciner and Peleus nodded solemnly.

"If that-" Carnage's sentence was brought to a halt as a billowing blast of lightning and fire enveloped him. The Lord staggered to the side, looking for the source of the attack. Cinder stood off to the side of the group, a pair of large Dust crystals gripped tightly in her good hand. Carnage huffed, shaking a thin layer of soot off his body. Cinder's attack seemed to have scorched a good deal of paint off the Lord's armor. "If that's the best you can manage, you may as well lay down and die."

"If you think we're just going to surrender," Cinder winced as the broken bones in her right arm ground against each other, "then you're in for a big surprise." The dark-haired woman's eyes glowed with energy as she used her Semblance to harness the power in the Dust crystals.

"Right," Pyrrha affirmed, stepping in front of Peleus and Lex. "It doesn't matter what it takes, we'll find a way to defeat-" Carnage began to chuckle, breaking into a full laugh. It was an unnatural, grating sound, similar to that of a failing engine. Peleus was once again reminded that their opponent was barely Human.

"You all clearly do not understand your position," Carnage stated mirthfully. "You are all going to die here." Peleus suddenly became aware of more movement coming from the collapsed radio tower. Large Behemoth Shades were pulling themselves from the rubble, encircling the group of four. Cinder painfully jogged over to the others. She, Peleus, and Pyrrha stood with their backs facing each other, with Lex protected between them. The giant Shades growled and snarled, slowly closing in with heavy shuddering steps.

"Cinder," Peleus pleaded, "take Lex and run, _please_. We can hold them for a little while-"

"I don't think leaving you and your daughter to die and getting run down by these things is the best plan," Cinder countered, her eyes darting between the closest Behemoths.

"I hope you have a better course of action, then," Pyrrha commented softly, gripping her spear in two hands. The student flinched as a small hand pressed itself softly against her back. Lex was placing a reassuring hand on her, an unshakable smile on her face. "Lex?"

"It'll be okay," Lex grinned. "I can help beat up the bad guys."

"What?" Peleus said. "Lex, no. You aren't possibly strong enough to-" The Senator froze mid-sentence. Carnage visibly flinched as a wave of violet energy pulsed off of the little girl. Cinder and Pyrrha turned their heads as Lex's eyes shifted to a vivid purple, and embers of the same color began to drift in the air around her. A pair of tiny flaming wings sprouted from the girl's back.

"Don't worry, Mr. Peleus!" Lex smiled. "I may not be as strong as Daddy, but I can fight!"

"What?" Carnage growled. "The Terror brat!?" Lex suddenly slammed both of her hands into the ground, instantly sending cracks spreading out around her friends, with the exception of a small circle where they were standing. The Lord and Shades visibly tensed as the spiderweb of small fissures passed underneath their feet. For several moments there was silence. "Hmph. Was that all? I expected more from an Inheritor of-" The ground around them suddenly exploded in a violent display of violet flames and debris. Carnage found himself thrown back. The Behemoths roared and flailed as the tiny Bloodline's fire ate away at them. A large crater stood around Lex and her friends. The surrounding area seemed unnaturally clear, as Lex's blast had even moved large sections of the wreckage from the radio tower.

"D-don't th-think that... because... I'm... a kid..." Lex wobbled on her feet. Cinder dropped both of her Dust crystals and kept the small Bloodline's face from colliding with the ground. Carnage was a good distance away, with one immediately noticeable difference. Lex's blast had stripped away a section of the armor on the Lord's chest, exposing a complex network of electronics and servos underneath. Peleus quickly caught sight of further damage spread across their enemy's body.

"Good job, Lex," Cinder whispered, a small smile spreading across her face.

"Excellent work, indeed," Peleus said, creating a shield and spear for himself using his semblance. He quickly made Pyrrha a replacement for her own missing shield. "Cinder, watch over Lex. She didn't give up and did her part, it's time for us to do ours."

* * *

"Lord Agony," a Knight saluted smartly upon entering the Senate Building's auditorium, "The resistance forces are rapidly approaching our position. The Shades and Acolytes that have engaged them have managed to slow them, but they continue to gain ground."

"What is the status of the ships?" Agony responded.

"Sir, they have been fully loaded with all our necessary equipment, supplies, and personnel," the Knight answered quickly. "But... my Lord... what about-" The Order soldier flinched as Agony placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Get yourself aboard your assigned vessel. The time to leave is rapidly approaching, and I would hate to see a loyal warrior left behind in this world." Agony's face was smiling, but the Knight could feel the deeper warning he was being issued. "Do not worry yourself with the feeble force approaching... they will be dealt with."

"Y-yes, of course, my Lord. I will depart immediately," the Knight saluted again and hastily exited the room, his footsteps growing more and more distant. Agony turned back to his work of putting the final touches on the large spire that would serve as the conduit for the Order to return to their own world. The High Lord clicked the last few pieces he needed into place, pressing a button to have the machine run a self-diagnostic before he operated it in full. As the device ran its checks, Agony closed his eyes and listened to the sounds drifting into the auditorium through the hole in the roof. Early tests of the device had proven successful, allowing Agony to send a handful of coded messages through a small portal. He could only hope that Ion had received the commands and followed them.

Agony had to admit that it had been some time since he had last had the opportunity to step foot on the field of battle himself. Most of the time, he was too engrossed in commanding the troops or with his own projects to bother with fighting in person. He wondered whether he had gotten rustier since last he had engaged in combat. He looked at a small screen attached to the gateway spire. Thirty-two percent complete.

Idly, the High Lord allowed his thoughts to drift to the other Bloodlines that had come with him to this world. Out of all of them, the only one whose loyalty he had no doubts over was Carnage. After all, Agony had built him his new body when the Savage Bloodline had been reduced to a paraplegic pile of flesh and organs. Carnage owed Agony his life, and he knew it.

The other three... well, Agony would see whether or not they were still worth keeping in their ranks. Golem was perhaps the most useful of the trio. The Bloodline of Earth displayed nearly unmatched prowess in combat, but was held back by his foolish code of "honor". Agony, a man who had long-since abandoned his ethics, found the younger man's obsession with chivalry a mix of annoying and fascinating.

Europa had her uses as well, but Agony had slowly begun to doubt her devotion to the Order's cause. She was often sloppy in her actions, accomplishing the larger goal, but entirely ignoring important secondary objectives on missions. Because of this, her main boon to the Order was her ability to fight other Bloodlines. If she could not even accomplish _that_ anymore, then Agony had no more use for her.

Then there was Enigma... A surge of complex emotions boiled around in the High Lord's chest. In single combat, she could easily outclass even Golem with her access to multiple Secondary Abilities. She was so close to being perfect, but still had the irritating tendencies of lesser Humans that Agony had failed to stomp out. She was wavering, becoming more aware, acting more like... _Eve_... The Lord grit his teeth at the thought of his first "daughter". If Enigma fell down the same path, he would not allow the EDC and Guardians to claim a third one of his creations for their side. A loud beep jarred the Bloodline of Pain from his thoughts. The diagnostic was complete.

With the flip of a large switch, Agony activated the spire. The device sparked and arced electricity into the stands of the Senate auditorium, lighting small flammable debris on fire. A pillar of glowing white energy shot through the hole in the roof and into the sky. A massive sphere of distorted space burst to life high above the Kingdom of Mistral, revealing a bubble of black space and stars. For a moment, Agony's radio crackled.

"Lord Agony," the voice of Ion stated. "It is good to see your signal again."

"It is a pleasure to know my device is working properly," Agony replied. "Prepare to escort our allies through the gateway."

"I will instruct my fleet to hold this side. Do you require assistance at your location?" Agony listened to the nearing sounds of the resistance.

"As a matter of fact, Ion," the High Lord picked up his heavy mace and helmet from where they lay leaned against a small crate. "I believe I do."

* * *

Alex, Dimitri, and their group ground to a sudden halt as the massive spherical portal split open in the sky. They had just reached the outer perimeter of the Senate building after spending the whole day fighting their way through the streets of the city. The resistance troops were barely holding together, losing countless lives as their forces slowly fell victim to exhaustion.

Their attention was drawn to the main entrance of the government building as the door was idly blown off its hinges. Agony slowly stepped out into the sunlight, fully enclosed in his black armor. Dozens of weapons were leveled at the Lord as he calmly took several casual paces forward. A splinter of resistance forces yelled their battle-cries and charged, many of the other Mistral residents followed, eager to achieve victory. Alex shouted an urgent warning after them, but the cry fell on deaf ears.

Agony made a single clean swipe of his mace through the air, leaving a thin trail of blood-red energy in its path. The swing emitted a blast of light and energy, instantly vaporizing the nearest people that had rushed forward. Agony took another several steps towards the resistance forces and the EDC, causing many people to turn and run from the apparent monster in their midst. The High Lord's gaze fell on Alex and Dimitri.

"What's this?" Agony inquired. "Greene and Averin, was it? Back from the grave, are you?"

"Agony..." Alex muttered, raising his rifle at the Bloodline. A small series of steady clicks and clacks informed the soldier that his closest friends were still at his side, but Alex's heart sank when he realized that only Luna, Ruby, Marcia, Dimitri, Firo, and Blake were still standing with him.

"I find myself wondering how you managed to survive," Agony pondered out loud. "I am fairly certain that explosives of that magnitude would-" The Lord's shoulder snapped back as a bullet tore through his heart. Alex looked to the side to see the barrel of Crescent Rose smoking. Ruby's eyes were filled with a mixture of horror and rage. Agony had clearly reminded her of the footage she had seen from Alex's helmet. That, combined with the multitude of deaths she had just witnessed

"Ruby!" Alex shouted, trying to shake the girl from her trance-like murderous state, "snap out of it!"

"Huh, wha-?" Ruby muttered. "Alex? What happened?"

"You made a valiant effort," Agony answered, resuming his original stance. "However, you will find that simply shooting me in the chest will prove insufficient." As if to outline his statement, Ruby's bullet was spat of the hole it had made in the Lord's armor. "Well, seeing how easy it was to scatter your allies, I believe that dealing with you will not be a challenge. Perhaps I won't even be required to use my bloodline."

"D, Marcia! Get the others out of here-" Alex began to shout an order when Agony rushed forward, smashing his mace into the blond soldier's left arm. Ruby and Luna's eyes widened as they heard bones snap like toothpicks from the strike. Alex was sent flying into the nearest wall, where he left a sizable dent in the stone building.

"Alex!" the cloaked girl yelled frantically. Both Luna and Ruby unloaded their weapons at the Lord, who continued to treat the bullet wounds appearing on his body as if their were routine injections. The others joined in with their own weapons, mercilessly peppering Agony with a steady stream of fire. Luna's weapon was struck from her grasp, reduced to a chuck of twisted metal. Agony's mace swung back around, striking the azure-haired woman in her mid-section. "Luna!"

"D!" Alex yelled, suddenly reappearing and jumping on Agony's back. "Get out of here!" The blond soldier pulled his combat knife from its sheath and plunged in into the Lord's neck. With a sigh of annoyance, Agony pulled Alex off his back and slammed the soldier into the pavement. The Lord followed through by smashing his mace into the EDC trooper's right knee. Alex let out a cry of pain as bone suddenly jutted out from the wound.

"Al!" Marcia screamed, firing her rifle at Agony. Large pieces of armor were torn off the Lord, but he continued to appear unfazed as the wounds slowly continued to heal. Agony swung his mace around once more, shattering Marcia's shoulder with the swing. Ruby's hands shook, missing one of her shots as Agony moved on to club Firo and Dimitri to the ground. Only the cloaked student and Blake were left standing. Blake's Gambol Shroud visibly wavered in the black-haired girl's grasp as she stood next to Ruby.

"This is tiring," Agony sighed. "I imagined I would be able to experience the thrill of battle from all of you, but it seems that I was incorrect."

"You bastard," Dimitri snarled from the ground, "you're going to pay for-" the Russian's sentence was drowned out as an Order transport descended from the sky. The aircraft stopped to hover and drop two more figures in black armor onto the ground.

"No," Marcia muttered as she recognized the newcomers. "Nonono..."

"Reporting as requested, Lord Agony," Ion grinned. "Enmity and I will happily mop up the stragglers if you wish to return to the fleet-" Both the Lords and Ruby's group covered their ears as a loud tearing noise erupted above them.

"Oh, shit," Enmity commented emotionlessly. Agony's head whipped up towards the sky as a second giant hole ripped open in the skies above Mistral. The High Lord's helmet suddenly filled with radio chatter as the Order fleet broke into a panic. A pair of EDC Dragonfly dropships burst through the new hole. The small craft weren't alone. Agony felt a twinge of fear grip his heart as not one, not two, but three EDC dreadnaughts emerged from the portal, each accompanied by their own contingents of smaller craft.

One of the dropships veered toward the Senate building, wildly firing its gun at the trio of Lords, who all moved for cover from the twenty millimeter cannon. The Dragonfly came to a stop above Alex and the others, kicking up dust and debris. Yet another duo of Humans disembarked the craft, one in the white armor of a Guardian, wearing a tattered cloak, and another enclosed in bulky armor bearing the colors of a Lord.

"Miss Evans," the new Lord said, "are you alright?"

"I'll live," Marcia coughed.

"That will do. You will want to take your friends away from here. We will handle this," the black-armored figure nodded. Ruby could tell that is was a man's voice. She also noticed that the other trio of Lords were visibly shaking at this one's presence. Her gaze fell on the Guardian, and suddenly, Ruby recognized him.

"Esprit," the cloaked Guardian said softly, "I think there's something a bit more pressing than talking." Blake saw Ion gulp.

"I suppose you may be correct, my Reaper friend," the ex-High Lord of the Order drew his greatsword from his back, allowing the large blade to smash into the ground at his side. "I believe we have some cockroaches to crush."

* * *

Pyrrha panted beside her father, leveling her spear once again at Carnage. The giant metal Lord was faring poorly without his armor to protect his internal components, coupled with the fact that Pyrrha could slightly alter his motions. However, the fact that he felt no physical pain had allowed him to keep both members of the Nikos family at bay. The stand-off between the pair of redheads at the Lord was interrupted by the sound of engines being pushed to their limit. A dropship sped overhead, dropping a dark-gray speck in the sky above them.

The small speck grew larger and larger, eventually big enough that Pyrrha could make out a humanoid shape. The figure adjusted its trajectory, aiming for Carnage. The Lord snarled, trying to edge out of the person's flight path.

The figure slammed into the ground, leaving a deep crater on impact. Carnage jumped back to avoid being struck, but a clawed dark-gray gauntlet erupted from the dust of the impact, sending the metal Lord flying as if he were a tennis ball.

The being that stepped out from the crater was something Pyrrha could only describe at first as bone-chilling. Lidless eyes containing single floating, glowing green irises scanned the area. A monstrous helmet sat atop the figure's shoulders, rimmed with razor sharp teeth. To Pyrrha's shock, Lex suddenly rushed by her and hugged the terrifying figure's leg.

"Uncle Rei!"

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **I was hoping this one would be better, but something feels kinda off to me.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES**

 **Hirshja: This chapter should have answered your question. Thanks for leaving a review!**

 **Skaana: So, yeah, how much to you think it's going to cost to rebuild Mistral?**


	46. Chapter 45

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 45**_

"Who... am I?" Enigma asked, staring at Elise and Eve. At blast of red flame and ice erupted from the ground in the distance. The trio of blood-haired girls had stood in silence since Enigma arrived and had requested that Eve and Elise answer the many questions she had. They'd agreed, but it had taken Enigma many minutes to think of what she wanted to know first. In order to make the small Lord more comfortable around them, Elise had set her lance and buckler at her feet and sat down on the rooftop. At her sister's request, Eve had reluctantly done the same. Enigma, seeming to understand the general meaning of the actions, had eventually followed suit, tossing her claws and helmet off to the side.

"Well..." Elise spoke calmly and softly, ignoring the explosions, gunfire, and falling debris from the battle raging in the streets and the skies above Mistral. "I guess the best way to explain it is that you're our sister."

"'Sis...ter?" Enigma tilted her head in confusion.

"Have you ever met someone who had the same parents as another?" Elise asked with a warm smile. Eve's eyes traced a burning wreckage of a small EDC strike craft as it crashed into the streets nearby with a shattering crash. Enigma appeared unfazed by the noise, and remained lost in thought. After a moment, the small Lord shook her head.

"Lord Agony... said not to... talk... with others... off the field..." Enigma answered.

"Well, the point is, you're our sister," Eve said as calmly as she could with debris falling like rain around them. An EDC dreadnaught unleashed a full broadside volley on the Order ships, causing their shields to flare to life brilliantly for several seconds.

"How can... we be 'sisters'..." Enigma held her head in confusion, "Lord Agony... said... I was made... not born..."

"Well, neither were we," Eve answered gently, shifting in her seated spot on the roof. "I'm sorry..." She bowed her head. "Agony treated you like an object because of me..."

"I don't... understand..." Enigma muttered and looked down at the dust-covered rooftop. "Do I... still have to... fight you?"

"Not if _you_ don't want to," Elise smiled. "We can keep talking for as long as you like."

"Okay..." the small Lord blinked. The trio fell into silence again, the sounds of battles across the city echoing around them. Enigma let out a shuddering cough.

"Are you okay?" Elise asked, edging slightly closer.

"Hurts..." Enigma replied shakily.

"Shouldn't her regenerative ability have fixed anything that was wrong with her?" Eve inquired.

"Enigma," Elise said softly, "can you show me where you're in pain?" Slowly, the small Lord nodded, and placed a hand to her abdomen, just below her heart. Elise reached out, but stopped short.

"Is it alright if I touch you?" the Bloodline of Light asked with a disarming smile. Enigma appeared a bit uneasy at the prospect. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." The small Lord nodded almost imperceptibly, lowering her arms. Elise came closer, and began to help Enigma undo the straps on her armor.

As Elise helped her remove the black plating, Enigma found herself wondering what she was even doing. She was disobeying Lord Agony's commands in the most spectacular of fashions with every passing second. Still, despite how... odd... the other girls with blood-red hair were, Enigma felt... calm... and comfortable... with them. When they claimed that they had no intention of harming her, or that they didn't want to fight, she felt like she could believe them.

Enigma felt Elise gently lift the edge of her undershirt to look for the source of her pain. The small Lord flinched slightly as the older Bloodline's hand traced worriedly over a raised black bump clearly visible against her pale skin. The lump's dark coloration had spread into the surrounding veins, creating a network of blackened lines tracing several inches out across Enigma's skin in all directions.

"What is _that_?" Eve's eyes widened. Elise looked at Enigma in shock, but the small Lord simply shook her head in response.

"Do you know how long you've had this?" Elise asked urgently.

"As long... as I can remember..." Enigma answered shakily. She could see that her 'sisters' were greatly worried about her. It was strange, but the Faceless Bloodline suddenly began to understand the true meaning of the word. Elise pressed the lump gently, and to her horror and disgust, it shifted at her touch.

"Eve..." Elise turned to her sister, "I think it's a Shade..."

"I have... a Shade... inside me?" Enigma asked.

"Agony probably put it there to keep you under his control if he needed..." Eve stated. "But... those things don't mix too well with Human bodies..."

"Like how... Corrupters... take over... corpses?" the small Lord coughed.

"Yeah," Eve replied solemnly, "that thing in your chest probably _is_ a Corrupter, or at least a modified version that wouldn't kill you outright..." The Bloodline of Sorrow grit her teeth in a mixture of concern and rage. "But, that's probably why you're always in pain."

"Could you..." Enigma paused, knowing what she was about to ask was likely the same thing as betraying the Order. "Could you... take it... out?"

"Of course!" Elise stated slightly louder than she had intended. "We need to get that thing out of you right away, but it's probably going to hurt at least a little, okay?" Enigma slowly nodded. "Okay... Eve, we're going to need to take her back to the Tether..."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? We-" Eve stopped as Enigma rose her hand.

"W-why can't you... remove it... here?" the small Lord asked shakily.

"This place is filthy, we couldn't possibly-" Elise started.

"I can... heal myself... once it's gone..." Enigma stated. "S-so... please..."

"But, we don't have the proper tools, anesthetic, or anything we need out here," Eve shook her head. "We just can't-" the Bloodline of Light froze mid-sentence as Enigma reached over and detached one of the claws from her gauntlets. "No, absolutely not. I couldn't-" Elise looked over at her sister in shock as Eve took the blade from the small Lord. "What are you-"

"Elise, I don't like it either," Eve answered. "Enigma, there's a much easier way to do this, you don't have to go through this amount of pain to-" The small Bloodline shook her head.

"Please... I just... want it gone... I don't care... how-" Enigma tensed and let out a strangled choke of pain as the Corrupter in her chest shifted under her skin. It was as if it could sense that Enigma had made up her mind.

"Okay..." Eve nodded slowly. "Elise, please keep talking to her. It'll help keep her mind off of what's happening..."

"Alright," Elise affirmed uneasily. The Bloodline of Light took her youngest "sister" and sat her head across her lap, gently brushing the younger girl's long bangs out of her eyes. "Just keep asking your questions, okay? Everything will be fine." Enigma felt a strange sensation tug at her lips. Without knowing it, the small Lord had a calm smile on her face.

* * *

"Y'know, I'd usually be a bit more annoyed at having clones hurled at me," Ryland commented loudly as Europa worked on holding off the engineer, Yang, and Ryan, "but shooting copies of you in the face is kinda cathartic." To punctuate the statement, the orange-haired soldier fired a five-round burst into an icy effigy that had wandered too close to him.

"Why don't you say that to my face you-" Europa suddenly found herself rolling along the ground as Yang's fist smashed into the side of her head. The Lord responded with a shower of sharpened icicles which slashed by the blonde student like a shotgun blast. Yang jumped back to avoid the brunt of the attack.

"You alright, Xiao Long?" Ryan asked, forcing Europa to give the Ruby's sister some distance with a wide swing of his molten whip-blade.

"My aura took most of it, I'm good," Yang replied readily. She shook her hands out in front of herself before resuming her stance. An ice clone suddenly lost the upper half of its body as Yang blasted it with her weaponized gauntlets. "I'm starting to run a bit low on shots for Ember Celica though."

"Well, unless your friend Ignis takes his head out of his ass," Europa quipped, "you're going to run out of ammunition long before I run out of energy. What's the matter Ignis?" The Bloodline of Ice's face changed into an arrogant smirk. "Are you afraid of letting your new buddies see what kind of monster you really are?"

"Shut your mouth," Ryan snarled, leveling his weapon at the Lord.

"Don't you want to avenge your precious wife?" Europa taunted. "Oh, or did you move on already?"

"Wait, what is she talking about?" Ryland asked, raising an eyebrow. "Ryan, I thought you said your wife died in childbirth."

"Is _that_ what he told you?!" Europa suddenly broke out into laughter. "Yeah, I guess that's right in a way, but I'm fairly sure the icicle I put through her heart was more of a contributing factor than having a kid!" The Lord held her stomach as she continued to laugh. Ryan's expression darkened. Ryland noticed molten metal starting to crawl up the Bloodline of Flame's neck. "In case your friends are wondering, Lord Agony sent me and a handful of others out to track down the families of our friends in the EDC and Guardians a while back. I happened to get assigned to Ignis' home. If I'd known at the time that she was carrying your kid, I'd have aimed lower-"

Europa's sentence cut off as Ryan let out a roar of fury and charged forward. The Lord smiled to herself, ducking underneath an arcing swing of the enraged Bloodline's weapon. The Lord placed her hand along the ground, and suddenly an explosion of icicles erupted from the ground. Ryan's form was lifted slightly into the air as a structure of jagged ice stabbed through his body in multiple locations across his chest and limbs. The fiery light of his ability suddenly faded as the pain set in.

"Anger is a very predictable emotion," Europa patted Ryan's head with her mechanical hand. The Bloodline of Flame simply growled angrily at her. The Lord shrugged, breaking the structure holding the other Bloodline in the air, and dropping him to the ground, where he lay bleeding into the pavement. Ryan coughed and breathed quickly as his body poured adrenaline into his system in response to his wounds. He attempted to move, but could only manage to slightly raise his arm with a strangled groan.

"So," Europa stated idly, stepping over Ryan's prone form towards Yang and Ryland, "that's the big problem out of the way for me. You two can run or fight, but either way, you're dead." With a wave of her hand, Europa created a shield of ice in front of her, deflecting a burst from Ryland's rifle and a pair of shotgun blasts from Yang. "Fighting it is."

Yang stepped between Ryland and Europa as the Lord rushed forward with an icy saber in her right hand. The blonde student braced herself, deflecting a swing from the frozen blade with her left gauntlet and following through with a strike from her right. Europa staggered back as Yang's fist crashed into her nose, breaking it with a loud crack.

"You- You _bitch_!" Europa snarled. "I'm going to hang you and your powerless boyfriend up by your guts!" Yang wasted no time in kicking Europa in the stomach, sending the Lord sprawling back across the concrete. The Bloodline of Ice reeled her arm back in preparation to throw her sword at the blonde student, but the blade of the weapon shattered as bullet's from Ryland's assault rifle tore it to pieces. "No, you know what?!"

Europa suddenly lifted both of her arms, and both Yang and Ryland's feet no longer touched the ground. Yang attempted to spin herself around as she was lifted into the air by the Bloodline's Kinesis, but found herself being rotated so she couldn't line up a shot. Ryland's rifle was ripped from his grasp by the invisible force.

"Okay, enough of that..." Europa muttered, blood dripping from her nose. "With Ignis' help, you two might have been able to keep me from using my Kinesis, but now that it's just the two of you, you don't stand a chance." The Lord sat and pondered to herself while Ryland and Yang flailed about uselessly in the air. "Hmm. Tell you what, Blondie," Europa said while staring at Yang, "let's start with evening the score." Yang was suddenly yanked down out of the air, her head crashing into Europa's mechanical hand. For a moment, the student's feet were on the ground again, but in an instant, ice covered both of her arms up to the elbow and she was tossed by into the air. "Can't be too safe with you."

"You fuggin' bith," Yang spoke angrily through the blood that had erupted from her nose and mouth.

"Oh, you say that now," Europa winked, "wait until I'm done with your boyfriend." Ryland glared at the Lord as she strode towards him. "You know what the best thing about Normals is, Blondie? They don't heal as quickly as Auras." With an idle flick of her hand, Europa sent an icicle straight into Ryland's abdomen. "Did I get you where I did last time?

"Ry!" Yang coughed.

"Shut it, Blondie, or I'll freeze your mouth next," Europa growled. "God, I'll never understand how Agony gets off on screaming. Anyhow, how about an answer there, Normie?"

"Why don't you check for yourself?" Ryland spat through his teeth, grinding them together in pain. For a brief moment, Ryland's eyes met Yang's. The blond student nodded once, knowing the look Ryland had on his face. He had an idea, a crazy one, but an idea.

"I think I will, thanks," Europa dropped the engineer onto the ground hard, pressing the icicle stuck in his body deeper into his flesh. Ryland let out a strangled cry of pain. "Whoops," Europa shrugged. The Lord kicked Ryland over onto his back and froze his four limbs to the ground. She knelt down to inspect her handiwork. "Hmm, guess I was a little off."

"Hey, bitch..." Ryland coughed. "You might know the best thing about us "Normals", but can you guess the best thing about _me_?"

"You're a complete pain in the ass?" Europa replied, pressing her knee down on the soldier's chest and summoning a new icy blade.

"Nah," Ryland smirked. Europa suddenly flinched in shock as Ryland's left arm ripped free from the ice and leveled itself at her head. "It's that I make better arms than Agony does." The Lord's pupils grew to a huge size in an instant as she realized the fatal mistake she had made. A look of shock crossed her face and vanished as Ryland fired his mounted railgun at point-blank range. Yang was dropped to the ground as the Lord's head vanished in a shower of red mist, brain-matter, and bone fragments. Europa's body stood on its own in a half-crouch for several seconds before flopping uselessly onto the cement. Ryland let his arm drop to the pavement. "Eat it, bitch."

* * *

Chess and the Maidens stopped and looked over their shoulders as a wave of powerful energy passed over them. Melody, Cherri, and Amber stared into the distance in confusion, but Chess shuddered.

"What is that?" Melody asked. "It's sending shivers down my spine..."

"I think we may be feeling the effects of the battle in Mistral," Cherri answered. "There was energy like this around the time Vale was breached two years ago... But this feels different."

"That's not all there is to it," Chess explained. " _That_ is the energy you get when a lot of Bloodlines gather and fight in one place."

"I guess the process of retaking Mistral is well underway, then," Amber noted.

"I hope they're alright," Cherri placed her hands over her heart.

"I'm sure they'll be just fine," Melody reassured the Maiden of Spring with a soft pat on her back.

"They can handle themselves," Chess stated firmly, "you don't need to worry about them. However... I believe _we_ have something to be concerned about. I'm sure you can all feel it if I can." For a moment, the Maidens concentrated silently, closing their eyes to feel the energies around them. One by one, they reopened their eyes, adopting expressions of grim determination.

"She's close," Melody muttered softly, "Shiro."

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **Not a bad start to a battle, I'd say.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES**

 **Cipher96: Yes, indeed, we are off to blood and slaughter.**

 **Skaana: Man, the Senate's really been going cheap out on construction standards then.**

 **Hirshja: Rei is an Inheritor of Rage, Bloodline of Wrath. So he's Rei-ge, if you want to remember it that way.**

 **ItzABlueWulf: He caught the Final Boss disease. Though in all seriousness, he can only keep that up for so long.**

 **Welcometodalolz: Welcome back!**


	47. Chapter 46

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 46**_

"Hello, Rage," Carnage spat angrily as he rumbled towards where Peleus and the others were. The metallic Lord had a deep, jagged dent punched into his chestplate, a cyan liquid leaked from small cracks in the plating, dripping onto the pavement. "I can't say I expected you to join us for thi-"

Rei patted Lex's head with his gauntleted hand silently, and the small girl hopped back. The Bloodline of Wrath followed through by grabbing and hurling the largest piece of rubble within reach at Carnage while the Lord was still talking. A twisted block of cement and steel from the fallen radio tower crashed into the metal Lord, who raised his arm to block the impact. The flying debris shattered into dust and smaller chunks with enough velocity to force Carnage back several steps.

"Nevermind! Straight to business, then!" Carnage yelled eagerly, smashing his fists into the ground. The Lord charged forward with surprising speed for his size, black arcs of electricity sparking off his body. Carnage swung his right arm towards the other Bloodline.

Peleus suddenly noticed a crater appeared around the Bloodline of Wrath right as Carnage's swing struck. Rei stood firmly rooted, despite the attack landing hard enough to create a shockwave of force that Pyrrha felt the need to lift her shield for. The bestial helmet atop the Guardian's head split open into a wide set of jaws, a faint green glow emanating from within.

"Uh..." Cinder shivered as the spiked club-like weapon that had been on Rei's back became a swinging tail. "So... Alex didn't say anything about this... Lex? Do you think you could make this clearer? Because your 'Uncle' isn't looking very Human at the moment." The Bloodline of Wrath let out a load, unnatural roar and smashed one of his dark-gray gauntlets into the side of Carnage's head. The Lord and his opponent tumbled, swinging and slashing at each other viciously.

"Oh," Lex supplied readily, "Uncle Rei's Bloodline just does that." Rei made a short, gruff growl of noise at the group of four still standing nearby. "And he says that we need to either help or get out of the way."

"Helping it is, then," Pyrrha smiled, dropping her father's replica ice shield to the ground, where it shattered. The redheaded student stowed her weapon on her back and held out both her hands towards the fighting Bloodlines. "It'd be wrong of us to let your Uncle fight all by himself, right?"

"Right!" Lex bounced, eagerly flaring her power as a Terror Inheritor once more.

"Don't push yourself too hard, Kiddo," Cinder patted the small girl gently on the head before reaching to pick up her pair of Dust crystals with her good arm. "You coming, Senator?"

"We all made it this far," Peleus felt a smile tug at his lips despite the situation, "it'd be shameful to quit now."

Carnage suddenly felt his arm's course alter, causing him to swing high above Rage's head as opposed to hitting the smaller Bloodline directly. The Lord's head whipped towards the Senator's group. The red-haired girl was using her power to affect his movements, and now that she didn't have to fight the Lord directly, her ability to push and pull the metal Bloodline's body was greatly increased. The Lord felt his left leg suddenly get pushed back, causing him to stumble and attempt to balance himself. Rage took immediate notice of his helpers as both an icy spear from Peleus and a searing bolt of lightning from Cinder crashed into Carnage's chest. The Lord staggered back as the projectiles impaled and splashed over the spot Lex had stripped his outer armor from.

Rei nodded at the others once, a clear sign of the bestial Bloodline's appreciation. With a roar, he took advantage of Carnage's opening, pouncing onto the larger Aura and situating himself atop his opponent's shoulder. Rei reeled back a clawed gauntlet and smashed it deep into the back of Carnage's metallic skull-like head. Bits of metal flew off as the Rage Inheritor continued to mercilessly pummel the Lord's cranium.

Carnage snarled, managing to reach up and grab Rei off his shoulders, and proceeded to throw the Bloodline of Wrath into the concrete at his feet. Before the giant Lord could attempt to crush his opponent beneath his boot, Rei's spiked-club tail swung up to strike him in the chin, as the smaller Bloodline rolled to the side. Cinder and Peleus' attacks moved to concentrate on the Lord's damaged head. Lex concentrated with all her might, creating a tennis ball-sized orb of concentrated violet energy.

"Uncle Rei!" Lex yelled as she shakily aimed the sphere of energy, clearly having trouble maintaining it. The Bloodline of Wrath dashed out of the line of fire as the small girl unleashed the projectile. Pyrrha concentrated as hard as she could, doing her best to keep the struggling Carnage from dodging the orb. The ball of energy flashed through the air like a tank shell, erupting into a massive cloud of violet flames and smoke as it detonated against the giant Lord's left shoulder.

A black metal arm flew out from the billowing dust and clattered against the ground with a harsh thud. The smoke cleared, revealing the damaged shell of the giant Lord. His left arm had been blown off at the shoulder were Lex's attack had hit. Only half of the Bloodline's skull-like visage remained, the metal jaw hanging limply from the smoking remains of his head. Carnage's form leaned backwards slightly with a stressed groan, before falling down onto the concrete with a crash. The pavement beneath him cracked and split at the impact.

"Did- did we do it?" Pyrrha breathed in exhaustion from using her Semblance so much, falling to her knees and shakily gasping for air.

"Pyrrha!" Lex yelled happily, running to hug the redheaded girl. "We did it! We-" The small girl suddenly tripped and crashed into the student. Pyrrha quickly tried her best to prevent Lex's head from hitting the ground, setting the small Inheritor down in her lap. The little girl let out a soft sigh and began to breathe gently. Pyrrha patted Lex's head gingerly as the little girl passed out from her own exhaustion.

"I can't believe it," Peleus breathed in relief, "Thetis... I..." A solitary tear rolled down the Senator's face. Cinder let out a deep sigh and sat on the ground.

Rei however, did not relax, stepping between the group and collapsed Carnage. With a hiss, the fallen Lord's chest split open, allowing a sight just as horrifying as its shell to step out into the light. Rei growled at Carnage's true form as Peleus gripped an icy spear tightly at his side, blood boiling that the Lord still lived. Pyrrha held Lex closer to her protectively.

To say that Carnage was barely Human was an understatement in Peleus' mind. The Lord was encased in a thin, skeletal body made of a matte black polymer. The remnants of a man sat attached to the body at the neck behind a clear visor, a pair of burned, twisted eyes floating attached to an equally damaged brain in a cyan gel. The very sight sent shivers down Peleus' spine, but his feelings of disgust were trivial in comparison to his anger.

Rei glared at the Lord with his bestial helmet, armored jaws flexing in preparation to strike. With a roar, the Bloodline of Wrath charged forward at the exposed Lord. A collective feeling of dread passed through the group as Carnage, now unburdened by the heavy armor, moved with inhuman speed, the joints in his body's knees bending so he dropped below Rei's pounce. In a fluid motion, the Lord grabbed the other Bloodline out of the air and slammed him into the ground. Pyrrha threw her hands forward at the Lord. Nothing. She tried again to no avail.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Carnage's voice gurgled, "but _this_ form is not metallic. Now-" The Lord stopped as an Order dropship abruptly screamed to a halt in the air above them. Carnage took a moment to listen to some private radio transmission, slapping a spear from Peleus out of the air with his hand. "Very well," Carnage said with a hint of annoyance. "It seems I have run out of time to toy with you all. Fire at will."

Rei dashed to his feet as the dropship's rotary cannon dropped down to aim at Peleus and the others, snatching the first sturdy piece of rubble he could and throwing in in the aircraft's line of fire. Pyrrha pulled Lex with her behind the sudden concrete barrier as high-caliber rounds shredded the edges off of it. Cinder rolled into the heavy cover, wincing painfully as her broken arm ground against itself. With most of its targets out of sight, the dropship turned its attention to the exposed Rei, opening fire on the Bloodline. Tracers pinned Rei to the ground, the bullets denting and ricocheting off his armor. A ladder was dropped from the side of the hovering craft, allowing Carnage to climb up into the waiting safety of its hull.

The dropship began to pull away, leaving a battered and unmoving Rei embedded in the concrete. Pyrrha and Peleus both popped out from their cover as the aircraft turned away, firing and throwing their weapons at the fleeing vehicle. As it angled itself further into the sky, Pyrrha tried to hold it with her Semblance, but found herself only able to keep the craft still for a few seconds. As one of Peleus' spears impaled itself in the aircraft's hull, the dropship broke free from Pyrrha's grasp, and tore off towards the portal in the sky. The Senator let out a cry of anguish and fury as Carnage's ship became a speck in the distance.

Peleus' anger died in his chest as a hand gently touched his arm. Pyrrha stood beside her father with an equally grim expression on her face, but Peleus could detect something else behind the gesture. Pyrrha was telling him to let the Lord go. In that moment, the Senator thought of how similar his wife and daughter were. Thetis had often told him that his single-track mindset would be self-destructive, but it wasn't until now that Peleus realized what she had meant. A large part of him wanted desperately to chase Carnage, even follow him through the portal so he could kill him with his own two hands. But in doing so, Peleus would forsake Pyrrha, Mistral, and all of his fellow people for his own interests. Peleus dropped to his knees, and his daughter held him gently as he shook and cried, repeatedly whispering apologies to Thetis.

"Now's not really the time to break down and cry."

Peleus' tear-streaked face jolted up at the unfamiliar voice. Sitting upright in the crater where the bestial Bloodline of Wrath had been, was a man with dark hair and an eye-patch across the right side of his face. Blood ran freely down the stranger's face from his nose, ears, and mouth. Frightening distortions under his skin informed Peleus of the fact that the man had numerous broken and dislocated bones. Still, the unfamiliar man rose to his feet as if he could barely feel it.

"There are still people who need help," Rei stated flatly, "put your pain and anger to a better use than giving up and sitting in the dirt." Peleus looked at the man who had been within the terrifying beast-like armor. Despite the fact that he was likely in blinding, agonizing pain, Rei was still standing, still focused on his larger role. The Senator looked up as the Bloodline of Wrath walked over to him and offered him a hand. "What'll it be? Are you going to cry? Or are you going to walk?"

* * *

Weiss scanned the area around her in a livid rage. Golem had proven to be a trickier opponent than she had anticipated. Jerloh had requested to leave suddenly when a pillar of violet flames had risen from the area near the radio tower. The Bloodline of Earth had been quite honest about the fact that Agony had likely sent the Lord called "Carnage" to kill their friends. Unable to fault him for being worried about Lex, Weiss and Alyia had told the Terror Inheritor to go. That hadn't stopped Golem from delaying him with the strange earthen Shades that he had summoned.

Weiss was currently engaged with one of the stone effigies. Upon closer inspection, the jagged curves and turns of the stone resembled that of a knight's armor, aside from the monstrous, cyclops-like head that stared intently at her. The creature swung its arms about with a bizarre sort of precision for a being for its size. For some reason, Weiss couldn't shake a strange feeling of deja vu, as if she'd fought this thing before.

The young Schnee shook her head, clearing her thoughts to focus on the task at hand, which was proving difficult with complete mayhem breaking out both on the ground and in the air above the city. As if to support this fact, a particularly large and flaming wreck of an EDC strike craft came careening out of the sky, forcing Weiss to use her Semblance and create steps far out of the debris' path. The large stone Shade was not so lucky, taking the full brunt of the flaming craft's mass and shattering into large chunks.

With the immediate threat dealt with, Weiss searched for Jerloh or Alyia. It felt like Golem was deliberately separating them, which even Weiss had to admit would be the wisest course of action for him to take. While his Shades slowly moved them away from each other, Golem would be free to play to his strength of one-on-one combat.

Weiss caught sight of two distant points of conflict, blasts of violet flame and the telltale thumps of explosives. It was safe to assume that one of Charles' children was in each area. Weiss took a deep breath, preparing herself to drop back towards the ground. She created a staggered downward spiral of small glyphs, taking easy steps until her shoes clicked against the pavement.

Weiss stopped as her right foot kicked a piece of the destroyed stone Shade, flipping the chunk over. She felt her heart freeze as she noticed what looked like an engraved symbol etched into the shattered piece. It was one of her glyphs.

"Your power has some interesting applications," Golem stated, causing Weiss to spin around to face him. "The... what do you call them... sigils-"

"Glyphs," Weiss spat, narrowing her eyes at the Lord.

"Yes, so these glyphs of yours are useful on their own," Golem crossed his arms idly, "but I had no idea that they could be used to summon things until recently. I have to wonder why you didn't use such a power the last time-" The Lord stopped short as Weiss' rapier angled itself at his throat. "Oh, I see, you haven't been able to use it yourself." The tip of Myrtenaster's blade inched closer to the Lord's exposed head. "Is something stopping you? I'm unarmed at the moment. Go ahead, strike me down, avenge your Terror friend."

Weiss grit her teeth, gripping the handle of her weapon in two hands. Myrtenaster's point wavered and shook mere centimeters from Golem's neck. Weiss took a sharp intake of breath. What was wrong with her? Golem was right in front of her! She could kill him right here and now! The image of Charles' final moment flashed in her mind, Golem's lance impaled through his heart, her glyph floating beside the Lord. Weiss let out a scream of anger and thrust Myrtenaster forward with as much murderous intent she could.

Weiss felt her weapon's blade tilt to the side as Golem's lance rose out of the ground and parried Myrtenaster away from the Lord's neck. Instead of impaling him through the throat as Weiss intended, the rapier sunk into the open joint in Golem's armor at his shoulder. The Lord reached out and placed an open palm in Weiss' face, summoning a glyph between them. Golem's other hand wrapped around the young student's weapon as Weiss tried to yank it out of his arm. A blast of force threw the Schnee through the air, breaking the fingers in her left hand as she desperately tried to keep a hold on Myrtenaster's hilt.

Weiss rolled across the dust-covered round, bright lights flashing across her vision as the back of her head collided with the side of a building.

"Hmm," Golem said as he pulled Weiss' weapon out of his limb. "I wonder..." A glyph appeared by his free hand, where a copy of Myrtenaster shortly feel into his grasp. "Oh, so it can replicate solid objects as well, though I have to say," the Lord swung the duplicate through the air with a swish, "I think it lacks the charm and weight of the original. Stone and metal are far more appealing to work in." He dismissively dropped the replica, which shattered into disintegrating shards upon contact with the ground. "I suppose I should thank you, these powers are far beyond any Secondary Ability back on Earth." Weiss turned to glare at the Lord from the ground, a slowly dripping crimson stain spreading on the back of her head. The small hairpiece that usually sat atop her head lay broken on the ground, allowing Weiss' hair to fall over her face. Golem came to a stop beside the student, hefting Myrtenaster in his hand. "We may be enemies, but I'm not cruel. I'll make this quick."

Weiss felt tears leak from the corner of her eyes and down her cheeks. She felt completely powerless. Golem's black boot thudded into the corner of her blurred vision.

 _Weiss... Stand up._

Time seemed to slow down around the young Schnee. She looked up to see Golem frozen in place, but upon trying to move herself, Weiss found that she was unable to move her body below the neck. She weakly laid her head down on the ground again.

"This is that 'life flashing before my eyes' kind of thing isn't it?"

 _Something like that._

Weiss looked up again, recognizing the voice.

"Charles? How are you-"

 _Oh, I'm not here. This is in your head._

"...What?"

 _I guess this is you thinking about what I would do or say at this moment._

"'Stand up'..." Weiss muttered. "Don't give up."

 _Just because your opponent's flaunting a lot of power doesn't make him better than you. So, get back up and show him what you're made of._ Weiss grit her teeth, gathering all of the strength she could muster. There was no planning involved, only her own instincts. The strange distorted time frame Weiss' stressed mind had entered began to fade. For a moment, the young Schnee could swear she saw Charles' smiling at her one last time. _Go get him, Weiss._

Weiss let out a yell of exertion as she rolled to the side as quickly as she could. Her rapier's blade buried itself in the pavement where her torso had been. A glyph appeared by the white-haired student's right hand as she rolled into a kneeling stance. Golem's eyes were still wide from shock at her sudden action. Weiss thrust her body forward as a simple shortsword materialized in her palm. She closed both her hands around the blade's handle as she pushed it upwards, digging through the blackened metal of the Lord's chestplate.

Golem let Weiss' rapier tumble from his grasp, where it clattered against the ground. The Bloodline of Earth staggered back several steps, until he was leaning against the smoking wreckage of the fallen strike craft that Weiss had avoided before. He looked down at the blade that she had shoved through him. A perfect replica of Charles' shortsword had punched cleanly through his armor and punctured his heart. To Weiss' great irritation, the Lord's face split into a calm grin.

"I'm sorry," Golem coughed as he slowly leaned back against the crashed aircraft, leaving a trail of blood behind him on the metal of the vehicle's wing, "were you expecting something else?"

"I'd prefer it if you didn't look so _happy_ ," Weiss hissed, wiping a strand of blood-caked hair out of her eyes.

"Weiss!" Alyia came running around a nearby corner, catching sight of the fallen Lord and the injured young Schnee girl. "Are you okay!? What happened!?" Weiss didn't answer, instead turning her attention to Golem as he coughed out a last few words.

"How can I... die angry... when I... finally... found someone... strong than... I am?" And with one last shudder, the Bloodline of Earth closed his eyes and lay as silent and still as a stone.

* * *

Agony grunted in pain as he was thrown into the side of the Senate building. The Lord dropped into a crouched stance, ducking underneath the sharpened outer edge of Sven's scythe, which dug itself deeper into the wall where his neck had been. Agony responded with an upward swing of his mace, clipping the Reaper under his chin and sending the cloaked Bloodline sailing back through the air. Sven landed lightly on his feet, his boots thudding gently against the cracked pavement.

Ruby wasn't quite sure what to make of the two Bloodlines that had arrived to help them. She was too preoccupied helping Blake keep their wounded friends out of the way of the fighting to really worry about it. Dimitri was barely back on his feet, though he was alive, much to Blake's relief, cradling Firo's unconscious form in his arms. Agony had backhanded the one-eared rabbit Faunus with his mace, leaving a gruesome-looking gash near the back of Firo's head. Luna and Marcia were both awake, but were in no condition to help, as they both nursed broken bones. Alex's head was rested on Luna's lap where the group sat hidden away in an alley, the blonde soldier was unmoving aside from the very slight rise and fall of his breathing.

Just thinking about Alex sent shivers down Ruby's spine. Initially, she'd thought that Agony had only splintered her friend's knee, but when she and Blake had gone to move him, they'd found Alex's right leg hanging only by a thin sinew of twisted flesh, metal, and cloth. The image of the soldier, pale from blood-loss, was seared into Ruby's mind. She tightened her grip on Crescent Rose, wringing her hands around the weapon's handle in frustration.

Ruby was shaken from her thoughts as a bolt of electricity seared a blackened mark into the wall near her head. The cloaked student peeked around the edge of the alleyway, looking at the source of the attack. While the Reaper was fighting against Agony, the Bloodline called "Esprit" fought the other two Lords on his own. The heavily-armored ex-Lord seemed unnaturally unperturbed by the arcs of electricity and enraged strikes that the other two Bloodlines, Ion and Enmity, landed on him, despite the deep gashes they were leaving in his armor.

Espirt tensed, raising his sword to chest-level and swinging the two-handed blade in a wide arc around him. Enmity stopped short of her next attack as the sword nicked strands of the hair on her forehead. The former High Lord followed through with a strike from the heavy gauntlet attached to his arm, sending the Bloodline of Hatred tumbling across the ground.

Blake shifted uneasily beside Ruby, and the cloak girl could understand why. Even with the five Bloodlines engaged in a flurry of rapid, murderous swings, not a single one had flared their power yet. It was like the combatants of either side were seeing whether their opponents would expend the extra energy first.

Ruby noticed Ion begin to generate a pale, electric-blue haze as the Lord seemed to decide to break the lack of Bloodline usage. A massive bolt of lightning suddenly dropped from the air, accompanied by a sudden downpour of heavy rain. In Ion's place was a being that seemed to shift and warp in response to the falling rain around it. Sparks and arcs of energy danced across the ground around it. Street lights in close proximity flickered in response to the Bloodline of Lightning's power.

While Enmity smirked and began to flare her own ability, Ion rushed towards Esprit, small streaming of electricity appearing as he sped past metal objects. The electrified Lord slashed away at the former High Lord with a blade made of pure energy, landing several rapid hits against Esprit's torso and legs.

Enmity fell to the ground for a moment, her eyes going blank and her body limp. However, Ruby could tell she was far from dead, as the Lord twitched and rose to her feet in an unnatural manner. The veins beneath the female Lord's skin turned a glowing blood-red, seeping into her eyes, where the pupils turned to same shining hue. Blood suddenly spewed from the cracks in Enmity's gauntlets, but the liquid did not simply fall onto the pavement. Instead, the sudden flood of crimson floated around where it had come from. The Lord's stained gauntlets were relieved of their spot on Enmity's forearms, where the floating blood quickly rushed to take place. A pair of large, three-fingered hands with sharp nails formed atop Enmity's existing appendages.

The Bloodline of Hatred rushed in to join her comrade, who was still busy keeping Esprit's attention. Enmity wrapped her two inhuman hands together, delivering a two-armed blow into the former High Lord's torso, forcing the heavily armored man's boots to screech several inches back across the ground against the cement.

Sometime when Ruby hadn't been looking, Agony had also flared his ability in his fight with Sven. A pair of limp, boney wings had sprouted from the Bloodline of Pain's back, cloaked in a blood-red energy. The High Lord swung his mace once through the air in front of him.

"Get back!"

Ruby and Blake's view was suddenly blocked as Esprit and his armor stepped between the and the blast of energy Agony had cloaked the entire area in. A lamppost flew through the air overhead. Esprit made a grunt of annoyance.

"Well, it seems that they decided to make the first move after all..." the ex-Lord said. Ruby detected a hint of solemn eagerness in the man's voice. He turned to face the pair of students. "Are you and your friends unharmed?"

"Y-yeah," Ruby nodded, "thanks." Esprit made a nondescript sound of acknowledgment before raising his blade to deflect a blast of electricity from Ion.

"Stay here," Esprit instructed, pointing down at the ground. The former High Lord turned his back to Blake and Ruby, flaring his own ability to life. Bright white symbols lit up across his armor, turning the plain black plating into a light show of an ornate design, written in a language neither of the students could recognize. Light gray wisps of some smoke-like substance leaked from the joints in Esprit's armor as he went to face off against the Lords once again. Suddenly, he stopped, returning his attention towards the students. "Actually..."

* * *

Sven ducked underneath one of Agony's enraged swings, still holding off on activating his ability until he was absolutely sure he had no other option. The High Lord was becoming more and more furious as his adversary seemed to become less aggressive.

"What's wrong, Reaper?" Agony panted, staring at the emotionless white mask on his opponent. "Are you truly foolish enough to not fight me at full strength? What is this? Some sort of _pity_?!"

Sven replied softly, "There is still time for you to stop this, Agony. Look around you, is this really what you want?"

"What the hell kind of question is that?" the Lord spat back.

"I'd rather not kill you, but if you continue, I will be forced to-"

"Save your god damn mercy," Agony growled. "Destruction such as this serves as a step on my path to create a perfect humanity. As I weed out the weak, I grow closer to my goal. Bloodlines are the key, Reaper. Imagine it... no illness, no strife, possibly even no _death_. But, no, you'd rather protect the weak, the worthless creatures who barely comprehend the dirt they crawl around in."

"I see," Sven sighed, closing his eyes behind his mask for a moment. "I extended the offer for you to surrender and stop this... At least I can say I tried..." In that moment, Sven's cloak turned into its wispy, shadowy state, indicative of his ability flaring. Deep-blue symbols appeared at the Reaper's back, slowly shifting and forming into a pair of wings consisting of six glowing crescent-shaped forms. Sven shifted his scythe in his hands, dropping into a readied stance. As he did so, the half-dozen sharp segments making up the wings on his back angled forward with him.

Agony visibly flinched as the first attack flew towards him. Two of the glowing crescents broke off, slashing wildly at the Lord. The Bloodline of Pain crushed one of the blades of light underneath his mace as the other seared by his arm. A replacement for the destroyed crescent was already forming at Sven's back. Agony snarled in frustration, mentally allocating more energy towards his regenerative ability.

The Reaper rushed forward, using all seven of the bladed crescents at his disposal to push Agony back. The High Lord swatted away one sharp object only to be pierced or slashed by another. Sven detached himself from the world around him, letting only his intent to kill Agony drive his actions. He attacked with all six of his wing-blades at once, the glowing implements impaling themselves through Agony's body. The Bloodline of Pain hissed angrily in response, slamming his mace into the ground. A blast of energy put some space between the two Auras, creating a crater in the pavement where they had been standing.

Sven slid backwards across the ground, his boots grinding against the dust and debris at his feet. He came to a stop across the road from where Ion and Enmity were having a standoff with Esprit. All five of the Bloodlines panted from exhaustion, their abilities beginning to take their tolls.

"As usual, it seems the situation has become a stalemate," Ion's voice crackled like static while his ability was flared. The two lesser Lords moved so that they were standing in front of Agony, who was busy ripping Sven's blades out from his armor. "Perhaps if the numbers were even, this fight would be going more poorly for the Order, but... as it stands..." Ion jabbed his sparking thumb to the sky, where an EDC Dreadnaught was slowly falling from the sky, though it had taken more than a dozen of the ships that had come through Agony's gateway with it.

"With the two of you alone," Enmity stated, baring her teeth, "it's only a matter of time before we get away. Dropships will be here any minu-" Suddenly, the Bloodline of Hatred had to roll out of the way as a high-caliber Dust round impacted the ground where she had been standing. The trio of Lords glared at the shot's source, catching sight of a certain pair of girls standing at the mouth of the alleyway they had been hiding in.

"How adorable," Enmity laughed, "now you've got a couple of little girls to go running to their deaths. Ion, should I show them what happens to stupid people?"

"Be my guest," Ion smirked, waving his companion forward. Enmity charged forward towards Ruby and Blake, but the eager smile on the Lord's face died in her chest as Sven and Esprit made no move to stop her. Something was wrong-

Enmity was suddenly set upon by a flood of figures she did not recognize, silhouettes of countless warriors. The Lord backpedaled quickly, dodging the numerous slashes and stabs from the army of shadows.

"What!?" Agony yelled in surprise. He recognized the ability being used. Esprit often brought back Shade-like phantoms of warriors of old during the war on Earth, but when had he had time to concentrate to make such a large force- The High Lord's gaze fell on Ruby and Blake. In each girl's hand sat a small orb of light. Souls.

"How?" Ion incinerated a ghostly image of Pyrrha that had attempted to stab him.

"It's Esprit," Agony snarled, "Since his line is the Bloodline of Souls, he splintered his own so he could draw energy and information from those two children."

"So while we were tiring ourselves out fighting Reaper and Esprit..." Enmity muttered tiredly, kicking Blake's memory of Adam through the chest.

"Looks like they caught on," Sven commented, panting. "How long can you maintain those guys, by the way?" At his feet, the Reaper's wispy cloak dripped into Esprit's shadow, subtlety transferring energy to the other Bloodline.

"Not for an extended period of time," Esprit answered, turning to Ruby and Blake. "If the two of you are going to do something, do it now."

"Right," Ruby answered with a determined expression, whirling Crescent Rose around so it was squared directly on the trio of Lords as they backed up against the horde of phantoms. "Ready, Blake?"

"Ready on your-"

"You two weren't thinking of leaving us out, were you?" Alex's voice interrupted. Blake and Ruby turned to find their friends limping or hobbling out of the alleyway, weapons painfully gripped in their hands. Alex, without his leg, was being supported on Luna and Marcia's shoulders. Ruby felt a wave of relief wash over her, and she smiled despite the situation.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Alex," the cloaked girl turned her attention back to the Lords as her friends did their best to set up around her. "Ready! Aim!" She took a deep breath, placing her finger around Crescent Rose's trigger. "Fire!"

Agony's head snapped towards the girl's voice as a wave of bullets washed over him and his two subordinates. Ion's body sparked and distorted as the rounds ripped through the air. Enmity reformed her blood-covered hands into a solid shield to protect her head and vital organs, but was knocked to the ground as the projectiles shredded through her legs. Agony snarled as his energy depleted, trying to keep him alive under the onslaught of phantoms and gunfire.

The approaching scream of dropship engines caught the High Lord's attention. Four small black specks sped towards the Lords at high speeds. Agony bent down, hoisting Enmity onto his back so her shield blocked him partially as well. The steady clatter of gunfire gradually slowed as Alex, Ruby, and their friends continued to burn through ammunition. The Order dropships lowered themselves towards the ground, one acting as a sponge to soak up the rain of projectiles, and another working to mow down Esprit's wavering army of phantoms. The last two hovered mere feet above the pavement to pick up the Lords.

"Oh no, you don't," Marcia hissed, bringing her anti-material rifle shakily up to her shoulder. With a crack, the pilot of the craft acting as a shield lost his head, blood splashing across the cockpit of the craft as it began to careen out of control, crashing and burning in a spectacular display. Agony's foot touched the ramp of one of the craft.

Ruby and the others emptied their weapons at the dropships until they clacked to signify they had not a single shot left. Sven and Esprit mustered what was left of their powers to fire a pair of blasts at the fleeing craft as they pulled away. Ruby hastily reloaded Crescent Rose with the last magazine on her belt, a mostly-spent one at that, and angled her weapon at the dropships, which were quickly becoming smaller.

Ruby's aim shook from a mixture of exhaustion and varying emotions. Alex placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, making the cloaked girl take a deep breath. Ruby aimed down her weapon's sights, narrowing her eyes at the three remaining aircraft. She squeezed off the last two rounds in the magazine, praying that at least one found its mark. Over a second passed in tense silence as Ruby and the others waited. No ship fell from the sky. Ruby fell onto her rear as anguish, disappointment, and exhaustion all threatened to overwhelm her.

In the distance, the Order ships began to pull away towards Agony's portal, gradually disappearing back into their own world. The pair of remaining EDC Dreadnaughts fired volley after volley at the fleeing craft, taking as many of the Order's ships down as they could before the enemy escaped. Ruby numbly registered a nearby explosion as Agony's device holding the gateway open deep within the Senate building exploded in a pillar of flame and sparks, setting the building it was housed in ablaze. One of the giant holes in the sky began to shrink rapidly, closing behind the final living Order ships as they left Remnant.

Ruby felt tears begin to roll down her cheeks. They'd just won, hadn't they? But, as she and Blake looked around at the bodies and burning buildings around them, the girl's suddenly realized how little it mattered whether they had "won". In the end, they had lost countless lives... and had been left with only a hollow victory. Alex had Luna set him down beside Ruby so he could gently hug the cloaked girl. Blake leaned her forehead against Dimitri and Firo, quietly sobbing as the stress finally got to her. Marcia, Sven, and Esprit remained eerily silent, solemnly observing a kind of scene they had grown all too accustomed to over the years. Ruby slowly looked up at the sky, still openly shaking, and voiced the thought that they all had.

"Everything we did..." she asked no one in particular, "Did any of it even matter?"

* * *

Later, Alex lay on his back, quietly staring at a tear in the roof of the medical tent he had been placed in with the others. His leg had been too far gone for anyone to attempt healing it, so the doctors had opted to amputate the limb before it became infected. Dimitri, Firo, Luna, and Marcia were all being treated for various fractured and broken bones, as well as a concussion in Firo's case.

Ryan had his eyes closed across from Alex, wrapped in heavy bandages across most of his body to cover the multitudes of puncture wounds he had received from Europa. Ryland and Yang had been seen about the freezer-burned sections on their skin. Yang had a pair of cotton balls stuffed up her nostrils, and a doctor was checking her for missing teeth. Ryland, proud owner of yet another new set of stitches, lay resting beside his girlfriend.

Elise and Eve were sitting in a corner with Enigma, seemingly helping her adapt to the new faces around her. From what Alex had been told, the pair of sister Bloodlines had pulled a modified Corrupter out of the now ex-Lord's chest over the course of an exceptionally painful hour. Without her armor or weapons, Enigma viewed the world around her with a mixture of fear and excitement, but seemed happy to be beside her new family.

Lex was curled up on her father's lap. Out of everyone, Jerloh seemed to have taken the lightest beating, though that wasn't saying much considering that he was sporting half a dozen stitched bullet wounds, one of which had grazed right above his left eye. Near to them were Pyrrha and Cinder, Peleus having been called off to speak to some other surviving officials from the Senate as well as a representative of the EDC.

Alex watched worriedly over the five students he had brought with them. All of the girls had dark, distant looks on their faces. Blake was refusing to leave Dimitri or Firo's side, just as Yang and Ryland stuck exceptionally close together. Ruby was sitting next to Weiss, consoling the young Schnee as the weight of her fight with Golem finally set in. Pyrrha had periods where she would stare blankly out into the city through the open flap in the medical tent, as if she wasn't sure whether she was dreaming. Cinder seemed to be working on snapping her out of those trances.

The blond soldier vaguely registered Peleus' voice speaking over the city-wide speaker system. The officials must have jury-rigged something to allow him to broadcast without the radio tower.

 _"_ _Brothers and sisters of Mistral, this is Peleus Nikos. I am here to tell you that the battle is over, that we have retaken out home... but at a great cost. I have been informed that over two thousand of our brave neighbors, family members, and friends are unaccounted for, and another six thousand are confirmed to have fallen fighting for our home... Now is the time we have to grieve... to rebuild... Never forget this day, my friends, and the men and women who made it so we could live to see tomorrow."_

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **So, I considered splitting this one, but I ultimately decided that I'd just give you guys one long chapter instead of dragging battles on for more days than necessary. This is one of those chapters that I'm all over the place for, some sections I really like how they turned out, while others feel kinda "meh".**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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	48. Chapter 47

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 47**_

Alex rolled over on the small spongy medical cot, slowly opening his eyes and allowing them to adjust to the darkness around him. The faint light of Remnant's shattered moon cast the Kingdom of Mistral in a pale blue hue. The blond soldier sighed, pushing himself up into a sitting position and reaching for the pair of crutches the doctors had provided him with. Until Ryland had time to help Alex construct a prosthetic limb, he'd have to make do with what was available to him.

Carefully, Alex propped himself up onto the crutches, taking a moment to make sure he was balanced correctly. He began to slowly and quietly pick his way towards the entrance, stumbling slightly against a small box of medical supplies that had been left at the foot of one of the cots. The blonde solider braced himself as he tripped forward, turning so he landed on his shoulder instead of flat on his nose.

"Alex! Are you okay?" Ruby's voice whispered urgently. The small student was sitting in a chair in the corner of the tent, where she had likely been sleeping before being awoken by the noise from Alex's fall. Ruby hopped off her seat and rushed over to help Alex stand, gently brushing dust off of him with her hand.

"Thanks, Ruby..." Alex smiled softly to assure her that he hadn't just injured himself further. "I'm fine, I was just trying to get some fresh air."

"Just take it easy," Ruby said softly, placing a hand gingerly on Alex's back. "Here, let me help you get outside."

"You don't have to-" Alex started, pausing as Ruby gently pushed him toward the entrance of the medical tent. "You can go back to sleep, if you want, Ruby. I can make it on my own."

"Nah, I'm awake now anyway," Ruby shrugged. "Plus, I think I could use some outside air too." Alex opened his mouth to reply, but promptly shut it as the small cloaked girl softly guided him out into the moonlight.

The Mistral Guard Force had set up their camp for processing wounded and refugees outside one of their decommissioned military bases. Apparently, Peleus had acquired the transport he had used to travel to Vale from here. Dim lights danced around the camp, as doctors rushed between a sea of tents housing their wounded patients. Residents of the Kingdom were scattered about the base, either actively searching for their missing family members or sitting still with haunted expressions frozen on their faces.

Farther away was the city itself, the once proud structures left crumbling and abandoned. Faint orange glows and thick black smoke rose from the Government District, where Agony's gateway device had started a large-scale fire that had yet to be fully controlled. Alex could pick out the distinct sounds of gunfire echoing in the distance as the local Mistral forces attempted to quell the endless tide of Grimm that had begun leaking into the city through holes in the wall. A particularly large breach had occurred at the South end of the city, where an Order Frigate had come crashing down directly on top of the Kingdom's protective boundary, creating a massive gap for the Grimm to flood through.

"Think this is a good spot?" Ruby asked as she helped Alex hobble to the edge of a grassy hill overlooking the Kingdom. They were still within the confines of the base, technically, as Alex noticed a metal perimeter fence curving around the bottom of the hill.

"This should be fine," Alex gently ruffled Ruby's hair, "I don't want to wear you out by having you drag me around everywhere." The cloaked girl simply nodded silently in response, helping the soldier take a seat in the slightly damp greenery. Ruby wrapped her crimson cloak tightly around her small form, placing the garment beneath herself as she sat down beside Alex. For several long moments, the pair simply stared out into the moonlit scenery before them. A soft breeze whispered across the grass in gentle waves. Alex took a deep breath before finally speaking. "Guess I can't treat you like a kid anymore after all that, huh?"

Ruby shifted uneasily for a moment, clutching her legs against her chest. "I... I don't know..." she answered. "I kind of... miss it... actually... but at the same time... after all the killing... all that... _death_..." Ruby shivered, causing Alex to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Ruby..." Alex muttered softly. "I never wanted to take that away from you..."

"Nah," Ruby sighed, "I think it would have happened no matter what you, me, or anyone else did. I just... realized that I _can't_ be a kid anymore..." The small girl shrunk deeper into her cloak, and silently leaned to the side so her head was balanced against Alex's shoulder. The blonde soldier patted her hair gently. "Do you think it's finally over?"

"I think it might-" Alex began to reply, but Ruby pushed herself up so she was staring into his face. Her silver eyes held a serious light to them, an expression desperately searching for answers.

"I meant honestly," the cloaked girl stated. Alex paused and looked at his remaining foot.

"No, Ruby, I don't think it will ever be over," he sighed. "People can try to stomp out whatever evil or any other opposing ideals they want, but something else will always take its place." Alex picked up a small pebble he found in the grass and tossed it down the hill. "Any victory we achieve in a short period of time isn't one that will last. The best we can do is try to make changes that stay with others and improve the world for the better... I'd say we need more people like you, honestly, someone who still has a kind heart and a little bit of innocence."

"So, like you too?" Ruby inquired quietly.

"Not sure I'd lump myself into that category," Alex answered, turning his gaze back out towards the city.

"You have those qualities too, you know," the student replied, "even if you don't see it. You, Dimitri, Marcia, and even Ryland. You all make lasting effects on the people and places around you." Ruby smiled gently. "I'm glad that we all met..."

"Me too, Ruby..." Alex nodded, a small curl gracing his lips as well. "Me too..."

* * *

The next morning, Ruby rolled around on top of one of the medical cots. Her eyes blinked open, confused as to how she had gotten there. Her answer came in the form of Alex's hunched over form in a chair beside the spongy bed. The soldier's head and arms lay on the side of the cot near Ruby's feet. Quickly, the girl pieced together that she must have fallen asleep while she and Alex had been talking, and somehow, against all apparent odds, he had managed to carry her back to the tent containing all their friends.

Ruby quietly excused herself from the cot, planting her feet firmly onto the canvas floor. She very quickly noticed several beds within the tent, and after a quick headcount, determined that Marcia and the Bloodlines that had come to Remnant with her were missing from their number. Silently, Ruby looked around, wondering where the EDC General and her companions had disappeared to. Upon sticking her head out of the tent and still finding no signs of their missing friends, Ruby resolved to shake Alex and Luna gently in order to conscript their help.

"Hmm? Ruby?" Luna stirred groggily. "What is it?"

"Marcia and a bunch of the others are missing," Ruby answered. "I don't think it's anything bad, but I can't find them anywhere."

"Marcia wouldn't leave without saying anything," Alex yawned. "Did you check with D or-" The soldier stopped short as Peleus entered the medical tent alongside a man wearing a crisp EDC Naval uniform.

"Major Alex Greene," the man greeted, extending a hand, "Admiral Harold Dietrich. It's a pleasure to find you alive and finally meet in person." The Naval Officer's arrival had stirred the rest of the residents of the medical tent.

"Uh... Nice to meet you as well," Alex dazedly took the Admiral's hand, staring intently at his face. "Sorry, I feel like I've heard your name before, Admiral, but I can't place your face."

"You might have caught my name offhand twelve years ago," Dietrich nodded, "I was Captain of one of the vessels participating in the battle where you and Sergeant Averin both vanished."

"Do _you_ know where Marcia and the others are?" Ruby inquired.

"General Evans and the Guardians are currently preparing for our departure back through the gateway," Dietrich answered. "They asked to speak with all of you before we get underway."

"Why?" Ruby demanded heatedly. "How come you're _leaving_ when there are still people here that need help?" Alex reached out to place a gentle, calming hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Believe me, if the decision were at my discretion, I would remain here to assist the people of Mistral," Dietrich replied, flinching almost imperceptibly at Ruby's displeasure. "But, EDC High Command has demanded that we return to Earth as soon as possible to continue our task of eliminating the Order once and for all. My apologies, young lady, but I cannot disobey the directives given to me in this case." Ruby's fist clenched.

"Ruby," Alex warned, "calm down. The Admiral's not the one responsible for making this decision."

"But-" Ruby sputtered in a mix of anger and confusion, "I thought the EDC was supposed to protect people!"

"You have my deepest personal sympathies," the Admiral bowed his head, "but those wielding greater influence wish to defend our own boundaries instead of extending our hand to others. I cannot apologize enough for abandoning these people in their time of need."

"It's fine," Peleus interrupted. "I'm certain the politicians of your home are no less frightened of the Order than the people of Remnant. I can understand their reasoning."

"You said something about Marcia and the others wanting to talk to us?" Cinder yawned, placing a hand over her mouth.

"Right, of course," Dietrich nodded. "If you would all please follow me..."

* * *

Alex hobbled along near the back of the group that followed the Admiral towards the military base's airstrip. A trio of angular Dragonfly dropships sat parked in the middle of the runway. The aircraft appeared significantly newer than Alex was used to. EDC soldiers worked to offload many large crates, which they were stacking in the back of a nearby truck belonging to the Mistral Guard Force. Replacing the storage boxes were Marcia and the others, finding themselves seats for their impending return trip.

"What are all those crates for?" Blake spoke up, her cat ears giving a small twitch underneath her bow as the metal cubes caught her eye.

"I requested that our ship's cargo hold be emptied of anything we could spare," Dietrich answered. "Resupplying will be trivial once we cross back through the gateway, so this is the least we can do." Ruby opened her mouth to utter an apology, but the Admiral raised his hand. "Your frustration was well-justified, young lady. I share many of your concerns myself, and it would be wrong of us to do _nothing_."

Alex quickly counted off the people waiting to depart for Earth in his head. Marcia, Jerloh, Lex, Alyia, Eve, and Ryan The two Bloodlines that had assisted them during the battle, as well as Elise and Enigma, were nowhere in sight, presumably already back aboard the EDC Dreadnaught hovering in the sky overhead. Marcia met her old friends' eyes as they approached.

"Hey..." the General greeted sadly.

"So this is it," Dimitri spoke somberly as he reached the short woman. Marcia hugged the Russian around the chest. "I guess this is where we part ways once more."

"Yeah..." Marcia sighed, "I guess it is." She walked over to Alex and embraced him as well, then moved onto Ryland. "I can't convince any of you to come home with me, can I?" A pair of tears rolled down her cheeks. "Because... this might be the last chance we get..." The Bloodlines waited behind the General, waiting for her to finish before they said their goodbyes.

"Marcia," Alex balanced himself on one crutch, reaching out his free hand to place it on his friend's shoulder. "Back home, we've been dead for over a decade... As much as I'd like to return to finish everything we all started together, I can't leave all the people we've met and grown to love here..."

"There are people here that need help just as much as Earth," Dimitri added, offering his own hand for Marcia to take. "And people that I have promised to protect." The Russian made a subtle nod towards Firo and Blake, who had kept their distance to allow the old EDC squad to speak in relative privacy.

"Sorry, Marcie," Ryland smiled sadly, "but I think we've all found reasons to stay. Hey, you'll do great even without us though, and no one said you can't... come back... and... visit..." The engineer sniffed and quickly wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

"It was worth a try," Marcia replied between choked sobs, hastily trying to wipe away the unending flood of water from her eyes. "You all just can't stop being heroes, huh?" She began to make a sound halfway between laughing and crying. "I understand... You all had better stay alive until I come back for a visit, then... or I'm kicking all of your asses..."

"That's the Marcia we know and love," Alex stated with a sad smile as his old squadmate continued to hug and sob against each of them. His own heart felt divided. Eventually, Marcia calmed her nerves, putting on a strong face once more.

"Hey, Ruby," Marcia gave the student a casual smile and incline of her head, "take care of my idiots for me, okay? That goes for Luna, Firo, Yang, and Blake too. Keep these three from getting themselves killed again."

"Sure thing," Ruby stated firmly.

"Of course," Firo smiled softly and nodded.

"I'll keep Ry out of too much trouble," Yang winked good-naturedly. Marcia bobbed her head in approval as the girls voiced their various acknowledgments. The General took a step back to allow the others to speak.

"Peleus," Eve said, "Thank you for believing in me all this time... for trusting me." The Bloodline of Sorrow extended a slender hand to the Senator's daughter. "Pyrrha, I know our time together was brief, but I would be honored to consider you a friend for the same reasons as your father."

"Thank you, Eve," Pyrrha replied with a smile, "for keeping Father safe and helping him make it this far."

"Weiss," Jerloh grinned, "you'd have made Dad proud. If you ever find yourself on Earth sometime in the future, make sure to drop by. We've always got room for family."

"Bye, Weiss!" Lex hugged the young Schnee around the waist. "Make sure you beat up all the bad guys so you can come visit!" The small girl retreated as Alyia placed a gentle hand on her head.

"Thank you for taking care of our Dad for so long," Charles' daughter said. "I think seeing you grow up would have made him proud. Make sure to take care of Winter and Anise, alright?"

"I don't plan on doing anything less," Weiss replied. "I'll keep trying to live up to Charles' teachings."

"You know," Jerloh said, "you can call him 'Dad' as well, if you want. If anybody has earned that right, it's you."

"Alright," Weiss smiled broadly, "then I will keep living up to _Dad's_ legacy."

"Felstrand," Ryan nodded as he walked over, "I will be sure to deliver your message to your father for you. In exchange... I would like you to pass on a message for me."

"To your Maiden lover?" Ryland smirked. Yang made an effort to stifle a snort of laughter.

"Stop that," the Bloodline of Flame stated. He held out a small envelope. "But, yes, I would like you to deliver this to Cherri. Our talk about split loyalties made me realize that I had to at least thank her properly."

"No problem," the orange-haired engineer grinned, gingerly taking the paper from Ryan, "I'll get this to your girlfriend in no time."

"Hey," Yang spoke up, "you stay safe. Don't make Cherri cry if you die."

"I don't plan on dying anytime soon," Ryan replied, smiling despite himself.

"Our deadline is approaching," Dietrich spoke up. "I apologize for making you all cut this short, but we must be on our way."

"Right," Marcia sniffed, "then we'd better get going..." The departing friends exchanged their final farewells as the EDC General and the Bloodlines boarded the trio of dropships. The hatches hissed closed, separating the two groups from each others' gazes. Alex watched the aircraft pull into the sky, becoming nothing more than tiny specks as the boarded the Dreadnaught. Slowly, the massive ship turned itself towards the floating portal in the sky, cruising through the spherical gateway back into its own world. A final loud noise signaled the opening's collapse, as it shrunk and gradually faded into nothingness. Alex was left staring at a blank sky, devoid of even clouds.

"So," Ruby said, "What now?"

"I don't know about all of you," Yang responded, "but I wanna go home."

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **Well, so as it turns out, this is the chapter I decided to split.** **So, Chapter 47 is now Chapters 47 and 48.** **48 will cover what's in store for Chess and the Maidens. After that, all that's left is the epilogue.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

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	49. Chapter 48

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 48**_

Chess jolted upright as he sensed a disturbance in the air around him, waking Melody, who had been sleeping on his shoulder as usual. Amber was standing at the ready, since she had been on watch, as Cherri quickly pushed herself onto her feet. A foul presence assaulted their senses, devoid of all charisma or charm, replaced by only raw killing intent.

Chess braced himself as a blur of white skin and hair came careening out from between the thick trees around them, tearing up dirt at her feet. The Bloodline rose a trio of his bladed tendrils from the ground beneath him, placing them between him and the charging Shiro. The sharpened shadows were paid no mind as the pale woman simply ran through them, ignoring the large chunk of skin that came flying off her shoulder. A powerful kick smashed into Chess' gut, denting his armor, knocking the wind from his lungs, and sending him tumbling across the grass of the dimly lit clearing his group had slept in. He rolled to his feet, regaining his balance.

A crazed grin was painted across Shiro's face. She licked her lips hungrily at the four individuals around her, deciding which one she wanted first. A solid wall of light appeared in front of the pale woman to block a blast of lightning from Amber, and another materialized beneath her feet to protect her from a collection of spear-headed plants created by Cherri. Suddenly, the pale woman vanished from sight, just as the Maidens prepared another round of attacks.

Chess activated his Secondary Ability to warp to Melody's side, pulling her away as Shiro reappeared and grabbed at the air where the young Maiden had been standing. Melody responded with a blast of water that hardened into a spray of razor-like shards. Shiro's face lit up in eager glee as she created another wall between herself and the attack.

"Oh!" she squealed like a little girl. "This is so much _fun_! I haven't had this good a time in forever!" She warped again using her copy of Chess' ability, having gained much more precise control over it in the time since she had first discovered it. She reappeared right in Chess' face. "I guess you're kind of the weakest link now, aren't you?" Shiro bent herself backwards to avoid a wide slash from the Bloodline. Chess' other two blades arced upwards, stabbing the pale woman through her back. "Don't you know that doesn't work?" Effortlessly, Shiro pulled herself off the pair of shadows impaling her, and her wounds closed in the blink of an eye. Chess was sent flying once again, this time by a blast of wind.

"Chess!" Melody yelled. "Are you okay?" The boy in question materialized in the air beside the young Maiden, grabbing her arm and warping away from Shiro's hungry grip.

"I'm fine," Chess answered, "just keep your eyes on _her_."

"I really don't know why all of you are putting up such a fuss," Shiro smiled and shrugged. "After all, I plan on changing the world for the better once I get your Semblances. No more fighting, no more pain. Sounds great right? I just have to get the power to keep everyone in line." A box of hardened light flashed into existence to deflect another volley of attacks from the Maidens and Chess.

"If you were really concerned about the greater good," Cherri stated with narrowed eyes, "you'd help the people of Remnant instead of trying to conquer them."

"I'm not going to conquer them," Shiro laughed, "I just plan on taking care all those nasty little undesirable parts that make people treat different people like dirt. Once they're all dead, people like me will finally find somewhere to call our own."

"'People like you'?" Amber inquired, charging another bolt of lightning in her hand.

"That's a secret, Miss Fall Maiden," Shiro winked. "How have you been by the way? Those scars look like they didn't heal too well-" Amber's charged blast of electricity seared the ground where Shiro stood, but only hit empty air. "You know," Shiro continued as she reappeared in a nearby tree, "no man would ever marry a girl with an attitude like that." The tree she was standing in attempted to crush her in its branches, but once again, Shiro warped out of its grasp. The pale woman's gaze fell on Chess. "You were putting out all sorts of scary energy last time we met, Cutie. What happened to that?"

"None of your business," Chess growled. His instincts were screaming for him to flare his Bloodline, but he knew that doing so might risk releasing his mother from her confinement once more. _Mini, can we do it?_

 _I'm unsure,_ Mini's voice answered. _If we were to defeat her quickly, we might be able to keep mother imprisoned, but- Watch out!_ Chess felt the air leave his chest once more as Shiro kneed him in the stomach with enough force to crack his already-dented armor. The Maidens made another vain attempt to hit Shiro with their attacks.

"Damn it," Chess breathed, "I guess there's no other choice..." He closed his eyes, carefully tapping into the power Mini had granted him access to. His shadows stabbed into his arms, darkening his veins and forming the pair of clawed gloves on his hands. Chess looked around for the pale woman, his crimson eyes darting between the trees.

"Oh, you've decided to fight me for real?" Shiro's voice called. "Okay, then!" Chess flinched as a trio of solid boxes of light appeared around his Maiden companions. Shiro dropped down from the canopy of a nearby tree, thudding lightly against the ground. Chess snarled angrily and warped forward, taking a vicious slash at the pale woman with one of his gloves. The swipe bounced off another solid wall that popped into the air between them with a noticeable soft clang. "Hey, I'm not done explaining the rules of this fun game I've set up."

"I'm not playing your damn game!" Chess yelled. "Let them out!"

"Well, it's a bit late for you to back out now," Shiro smiled sweetly. "You see those boxes your girlfriends are in? Here's how this works..." The boxes of light shifted inside, creating chains and shackles that coiled themselves around each confined Maiden. "Okay, see those restraints? For every hit you land on me, a random restraint will loosen and eventually fall off, eventually letting the Maiden get out of her box."

"And what happens when-" Chess was cut off as Shiro's fist collided with his face, knocking him flat onto the ground. Amber released a cry of pain as a shackle on her right forearm dug into her skin with a series of small blades. " _You_..." Chess snarled furiously.

"Got the rules down now?" Shiro leaned over him and winked. "Good, think fast." Chess grunted in pain as Shiro's foot swung forward into his gut, cracking his ribs underneath through his battered armor. Cherri fell down inside her box as a shackle stabbed into her leg. Amber and Melody both pounded away at the sides of their boxes with their powers. Melody's was filling up with water from her own attack. "Just so you know, those things don't drain," Shiro called as she dodged a slash from Chess. "The restraints won't kill you, but I can't stop you from drowning. I need you three alive so I can take your powers, after all."

Chess felt a small twinge of pain somewhere in the back on his mind, but he paid it no mind for the moment. He trusted that Mini would be able to- _Mini_? The small boy's voice did not reply. In his moment of distraction, Shiro unleashed an explosion of flame that enveloped the Bloodline. All three Maidens writhed in agony as Chess was hit countless times. The young Bloodline felt as if his entire body was falling apart at the seams. Too many conflicting thoughts and emotions filled his head. _Mini. Melody. Cherri. Amber. Melody._ _Melody!_

Chess snarled and warped forward, summoning as many blades to his side as he could muster. He swung his right arm forward to- The young Bloodline suddenly became aware of the sheer pain coursing through his body from the bloody stump at his elbow. Shiro cocked her head at him in confusion.

 _You idiotic brat. I told you this would happen._ His mother sneered. _You've become so weak that I can exert influence over your ability from beyond the grave._ Chess suddenly felt his right leg leave his body a one of his own shadows cleanly sliced through his flesh, cutting sinew and bone as easily as a butcher's knife. The young Bloodline's eyes widened in horror as he fell forward and Shiro's feet.

"Chess!" Melody's scream was muffled from within the confines of her box. The Maiden of Winter slammed her restrained fists into the walls of her cage repeatedly as she stood waist-deep in water. Amber continued to fire lightning into the side of her own enclosure, as Cherri bashed her shoulder painfully against hers.

"Well, this is fortunate for me," Shiro smiled. "After that embarrassment that you put me through the last time, I've been wanting some sweet revenge." The pale woman placed her foot in the middle of the Bloodline's back, and began to stomp against what was left of his blackened plate armor. The imprisoned Maidens screamed in pain, the water around Melody slowly turning crimson with her blood. Chess frantically tried to regain control of his ability, but found himself unable to gain even the most remote foothold.

 _Maybe Shiro will make better use of the power you have wasted._

Chess felt his blood freeze at his mother's words. Shiro's powerful onslaught ceased, leaving the Bloodline to wheeze and snarl at her in defiance. The pale woman knelt down beside the ex-Lord with an arrogant grin on her face.

"Okay, that's enough playing around, I think," she whispered sweetly.

"CHESS!" Melody screamed as loud as she could. Her own blood was pouring down her arms and legs. "CHESS, GET UP! RUN AWAY!" Vaguely, Chess' mind tried to do as the Maiden said, but was unable to access even the most basic parts of his powers as exhaustion and blood loss sapped him of his energy to fight. Shiro flipped the Bloodline over onto his back, and she caressed his cheek with her frigid hand. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

"Don't worry," Shiro smiled as she leaned in, licking her lips. "It won't hurt."

"NO! CHESS!" Melody screeched in horror as the pale woman kissed the young Bloodline. His remaining arm reached up to try to push Shiro off of him, but with each passing moment, his struggling grew weaker. Melody continued to shout his name, as Amber and Cherri redoubled their efforts to break out from their cages. The light faded from the boy's crimson eyes, and his arm fell limply to the ground. Shiro pushed herself up onto her feet, leaving Chess' form unmoving and lifeless in the blood-soaked grass, a final look of desperation and fear frozen on his features. The pale woman licked her lips in a satisfied manner, shivering with some kind of malicious delight as energy coursed through her body. Melody fell to her knees and let out a scream of anguish that echoed through the surrounding forest. Amber and Cherri froze in silent horror.

The young Maiden of Winter suddenly fell extremely quiet, shaking as she sat in the water that had filled up her cube of confinement. Shiro paid her captives no mind for a moment, confident that her restraints would hold. With a flick of her hand, a single bladed tendril of shadow rose from the shaded ground at her feet, curling and twisting into a distorted spiral. It was nowhere near as precise or cohesive as Chess' ability, but it was, without a doubt, his power. Shiro giggled eerily, filled with a frightening sense of jubilation.

Cherri shivered as a wave of frigid cold passed over her through the walls of Shiro's box. The Maiden of Spring looked up as a loud shattering sound rung out across the clearing they were in. Amber's gaze was also drawn to the source of the sound. Melody's cage. The walls of her enclosure were cracked, and the Maiden of Winter had a look of complete and utter rage in her eyes. Her normally bright blue irises had grown even more vivid, glowing with an unnatural light. Small wisps of frost hovered around her cheeks. Water leaked from the spiderweb of small breaches in her enclosure, slowly draining onto the grass.

Shiro flinched at the murderous energy that had suddenly sprung to life, and quickly used her now-fully drained version of Chess' warping ability to evade a shower of jagged splinters from Melody's box as it exploded violently. Upon being released from her entrapment, Melody's power began to affect the nearby terrain, causing frost to cover the surrounding trees and grass. Cherri looked up as her own restraints began to buckle under the force of Melody's influence. The cubes of hardened light shattered away as they froze, becoming too brittle to support themselves.

Shiro reappeared in a tree covered in dense icicles and frost. The surrounding forest had suddenly been plunged into what looked like the dead of a terrible winter. Strong gusts of winter bent the trees, causing the icicles upon them to clink lightly against each other. Flakes of snow began to fall in great number, coating the ground in a thick white sheet of frozen water, with the exception of a small circle around Chess' body. The pale woman shivered with an eager smirk as Melody's eyes met hers.

A pair of tears fell from the corner of the young Maiden's eyes, freezing solid before they had even fallen from her cheeks. " _You_ ," Melody's voice shook with rage, "I'll never forgive you!"

* * *

Chess shifted, finding himself laid out on the bottom of a giant brass birdcage. Outside of the enclosure was a peaceful rolling landscape of flower-covered hills. The Bloodline sat up to get a better look.

"You're awake," a woman's voice stated, tinged with an unfamiliar European brogue. Chess rolled onto his feet, and for a moment, readied himself for a fight as he saw the woman's face. It took him a moment to realize that while she looked somewhat similar, the unfamiliar person was _not_ his mother. She was shorter, thinner, and had a stark-white set of carefully trimmed shoulder-length hair that curled slightly around her neck. A beaten-looking Mini rested on the woman's lap, breathing shallowly. "He tried his best to protect you, you know." The woman looked up at Chess with her own pair of crimson eyes. "Though, I suppose that might just have been a sort of self-preservation."

"What am I doing here?" Chess demanded urgently. "Where is this place?"

"Do you honestly not remember how you got here?" the woman asked. "Think carefully, what is the most recent event you can recall?" Chess fell silent and did as he was told. The last thing he remembered... hadn't he been fighting Shiro? The images of his missing arm and leg suddenly flooded into his mind. The only problem was, he still all had four of his limbs...

 _Maybe Shiro will make better use of the power you have wasted._

His mother's words echoed in his thoughts, and suddenly Chess felt the memories of what had happened coming flooding back. The Bloodline held his head in pain, and the world around him went black. Images of Shiro leaning in towards him. Melody frantically screaming his name. All the information came back in a single, agonizing moment.

Chess opened his eyes again, this time looking up into the eyes of the strange woman that shared many features with him. He flinched and jolted up from where his head had been lying on her lap beside Mini, who now appeared unharmed, but was sleeping silently.

"Am..." Chess trailed off. "Am I dead?"

"In a way," the woman replied matter-of-factly.

"I don't have time for riddles!" Chess yelled suddenly, causing his shadows to lash out at the woman. "Every moment I waste, Melody could be-" The young Bloodline froze as the woman touched her hand against one of his dark blades, and the tendril of shadow burst into wisps of black mist.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you to respect your elders?" the woman asked.

"I don't even know who you are!" Chess replied heatedly. "Why don't you start with that?"

"Well," she shrugged, "right now, I'm just acting as a sort of representative. But, me personally? I'll give you the short version, you know how the Bloodlines have always been the silent protectors of Earth?" Chess shook his head. "What the hell have they been teaching you young ones these days?"

"The Earth I came from was a war-ridden planet, with Bloodlines as its figureheads," Chess answered, quickly becoming frustrated at the lack of a clear answer from the odd woman.

"That's... _distressing_..." the woman sighed. "This is what I get for going to sleep and leaving you kids to your own devices..."

"Who _are_ you!?" Chess demanded.

"I'll get to that, just shut up and listen," the woman said exasperatedly. "Like you, I was an Inheritor of Chaos, but my life got a four thousand year lead on yours, give or take a century or two. Ancient folk back then liked to confuse Bloodlines as miracle workers or deities. Stories tended to get really muddled and exaggerated back then, so they aren't exactly the most accurate. Still, I was always a fan of the name the people in Athens came up with for me. 'Eris' has a better ring to it than the name I was born with anyway."

"'Eris'?" Chess quirked an eyebrow, "As in the-"

"Goddess of chaos, strife, and discord," Eris finished. "What can I say? I was a brat when I was young. Can't really say that you're much better, though..."

"How are you speaking English?" Chess inquired, mentally kicking himself as he realized they were getting sidetracked.

"It's not really that we're talking in a traditional sense," Eris explained, patting Mini's sleeping head idly, "it's more that our connection through our Bloodline allows us to communicate in a way that we can both understand."

"That's great and everything," Chess turned towards the edge of the birdcage, "but unless you can tell me how to get out of here so I can save Melody, I think we're done 'communicating'."

"Did you try the latch?" Eris asked nonchalantly.

"There _is_ no latch!" Chess shouted irritably. In his frustration, the young Bloodline called forth his shadows to slash at the cage bars, but the bladed tendrils left nothing but tiny scuffs on the brass.

"What are you doing?" Eris asked, resting a hand annoyedly against her cheek. "Do you really think you stand a chance against that 'Shiro' woman as you are now? In case I need to state it bluntly, you're _dead._ Get that through your head, _Chess._ Your soul was taken by Shiro." Chess froze for few seconds before returning to vainly slashing at the sides of the cage.

"If that's the case," the young Bloodline stated, "then it's even more important that I get out of here." He paused for a moment, running his hand against the tiny scratches in the brass bars of their enclosure. "Melody, Cherri, and Amber... They're in danger if Shiro has access to our Bloodline."

"I thought you had learned to have faith in others," Eris said. "What makes you think that your friends won't win?"

"Even if they do, it won't be without them getting hurt, possibly even dying... and if Shiro managed to drain one of them as well..." Chess trailed off, gritting his teeth. "And besides... Do you expect me to just sit here and do _nothing?_ " He gripped his palm tightly around a damaged bar. "Like hell I'll leave them to fight on their own while I've still got energy. This is Shiro's mind, right? So why not cause a little chaos?" Chess felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to find Eris standing behind him with a wide grin on her face. She reached out to take the young Inheritor's hand, and slowly began to fade as her energy fused with Chess.

"Good answer." And with that, the strange woman vanished, leaving Chess standing alone aside from Mini's sleeping form on the bottom of the cage. The small version of Chess suddenly awoke with a frantic gasp.

"Chess! Mother's-" the small boy froze in horror as he took in his surroundings. "No... this can't be happening..."

"I know," Chess said, walking over to place a reassuring hand on Mini's head, "but we're not out of this fight yet. There's still time for us to stop Shiro and save Melody and the others..." Chess stood and turned back towards the side of the cage, beginning to gather his strength. He missed the mixture of pride and sadness that crossed Mini's face. "Think you're ready to-" Chess turned to find the cage completely empty aside from a small scrap of paper on the floor of the cage where Mini had been sitting a moment before. "Mini?" The Bloodline knelt to pick up the tiny paper, a worn and wrinkled thing cover in printed text and what looked like the corner of a picture.

A sudden memory came to Chess' mind, one he had never recalled before, but had seen. The day his father died, Chess had been learning to read a book about a raven that dreamed about singing, but encountered many challenges as other birds told him he could do nothing but caw. Along the way, the raven met a sparrow, who despite the larger bird's intimidating stature, agreed to teach him to sing. The raven eventually accomplished his dream, but the sparrow, a shorter-lived creature, passed away. The raven dedicated his songs to the truest friend he had ever had. Time ticked on, and eventually, the raven too began to feel the effects of time.

 _And then, the_ _raven crowed out one last song and closed his eyes. His heart was filled with not fear, but peace, as he readied himself to meet his dear sparrow friend once more._

Chess closed his hand tightly around the scrap of the book page, closing his eyes. A pair of small droplets dripped down the Bloodline's cheeks. Chess took a deep breath and flared his ability, calling as much power to himself as he could manage. The small scrap of paper disintegrated in his hand.

"Thank you, Mini... and good bye..."

* * *

Chess walked towards the top of the tallest hill he could find, a steely-eyed expression on his face. Now that he was outside the cage, he felt acutely aware of the events unfolding outside of the bizarre spirit world he was in. The three Maidens were currently engaged in a destructive battle with their adversary, reducing the surrounding forest to little more than a pit of mud, ice, and wood splinters. Still, Shiro's seemingly limitless energy and her lack of existing injuries had kept her at a slight advantage.

Shiro might have somehow gained control of his powers in the real world, but within the strange limbo of her mind, the Bloodline was still the proper Inheritor. He had a sneaking suspicion as to why the pale woman was able to use his ability.

As he came to the peak of the large hill, Chess felt his heart twinge with disgust. In the midst of the fields of flowers and grass sat dozens of cages of various types. Giant, gilded things with tightly-packed small dots moving around within them. Chess closed his eyes, warping closer to the cages for a closer look.

"H-hey!"

"Please! Let me out!"

"You there! Open this thing, please!"

"Over here!"

A cacophony of voices assaulted Chess as soon as he reappeared, all begging for release from their confinement.

"Shiro has quite the fascinating collection," a familiar voice stated. Chess pivoted on his heel to face his mother, who was walking freely about the field of cages. "Unlike you, she shows genuine interest in our power. I think she'll put it to better use than you." Chess turned away, ignoring the woman as he scanned the occupants of the enclosures. His eyes caught sight of a specific person with tanned skin and a scarred face. "I'll let you enjoy your freedom for a while, it's not like you have enough strength to-" Chess' mother's eyes bulged in shock as the young Bloodline made a slashing motion with his hand, and the bars of the cage he had been observing split open. The crimson-eyed boy turned back around.

"You were saying?"

* * *

"Melody! Don't run in alone!" Amber shouted, grabbing the rage-filled girl's upper arm to stop her from blindly rushing towards Shiro again.

"Let me go!" Melody yelled back desperately. "I have- Chess- I have to-" Tears of fury and anguish rained down the Maiden of Winter's face.

"Chess wouldn't have wanted you to get yourself killed!" Amber stated.

"Stop it, both of you," Cherri said forcefully. "This is literally the worst time to turn against each other."

"No, keep in-fighting, by all means," Shiro giggled, consistently warping away from the Maidens' attacks. "You know, your boyfriend had quite the ability on him. It's not quite a Maiden power, but it's seriously fun! Too bad he wasn't actually anything more than a cute face."

"SHUT UP!" Melody screamed. "DON'T YOU EVER TALK ABOUT CHESS THAT WAY!"

"Oh, did I touch a nerve?" Shiro placed her hand over her mouth in mock horror. "You know, maybe I should try to get the final blow on each of you with his powers... Wouldn't that be funny?" She twirled one of Chess' shadowy blades around in the air beside herself for good measure.

"We'll see who's laughing when you're lying in the dirt," Amber snarled at the pale woman.

"Why don't you come over here and say that, Miss Fall Maiden? Oh wait, you won't, because all three of you know you don't stand a chance without-" Shiro stopped, her eyes widening as she doubled over in pain. A horrible gagging sound escaped her lips, as a thin haze of shifting hues leaked from her mouth. Shiro held her head as he body released a powerful explosion of energy, throwing the three Maidens back through the air. A fiery orange blob rushed forward and hit Amber in the chest, knocking the Maiden of Fall unconscious, while other bubbles of mist floated away into the sky. Shiro was the first to stand, her hands shaking. "Wha- What? What is this? What's happening?"

* * *

"You filthy brat! Who do you think you are!?" Chess' mother screeched as she and her son exchanged rapid strikes with their shadowy blades. Chess was smiling calmly, as any attack that was missed or deflected would often strike and weaken any of the surrounding cages. Another one of the enclosures was split wide open, allowing the trapped spirits to escape to freedom. The landscape of Shiro's mind quaked angrily as the pale woman was struck with agonizing pain.

"My name is Chess," the Bloodline answered, "and... I'm just a person fighting to protect the people he loves." Chess deflected a sharp blow from his mother as she growled at him.

"How _sentimental,_ " she replied through clenched teeth, "just like your god damned father."

"I think I'd rather be more like him than you," Chess smirked, stabbing forward with dark blades, slicing open another cage as his mother dodged. The occupants still trapped in their enclosures cheered the white-haired boy on. "I told you before, M _other_... No has-been hag is going to control me anymore."

"Yes, perhaps you're right..." the woman mumbled irritably. "You can't be threatened or reasoned with anymore... that makes you less than useless. Shiro! Make sure to kill that silver-haired bitch! I want this brat to watch her die!" Chess' mother's face split into a wide grin as the smirk evaporated off her son's expression. Outside the strange realm of Shiro's mind, the pale woman made a beeline for Melody. Chess rushed towards his mother.

The young Bloodline didn't feel any pain, and he doubted souls could actually feel any sort of physical injury, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered what equated to a stabbing sensation in his chest. His mother smiled as her son hung impaled on the trio of blades she had summoned to intercept his charge. Drops of Chess' "blood" fell onto the flower-covered terrain beneath them. The young Bloodline grinned.

"Sorry, Mother. I don't really have much to lose at this point, beyond Melody, but you, on the other hand..." Chess called upon every once of power at his disposal as he hung limply in the air. He could feel his very soul straining to control the massive amount of energy, like every fiber of his being was being torn apart and reassembled every second. He flared the power that Mini had unlocked for him, adorning the dark clawed gloves and staining the images of his veins black. This time, a pair of wings sprouted from his back as well. A set of mismatched appendages that somehow managed to appear strange yet regal. The wing of a raven spread itself out on his right, while a sparrow's flapped haphazardly on the boy's left. "Well, let's see what happens when there are none of us left."

"Wha-" Chess' mother did not manage to utter the rest of sentence as her son's spirit quite literally exploded. A blast of darkness spread across the flower-covered hills, consuming the old Chaos as well as many of the nearby cages.

Chess' voice echoed across the landscape, uttering one last sentence, "Go to hell, old hag..."

* * *

The Melody continued her fight against Shiro as the pale woman quickly grew more desperate and deranged. Many times, she would fall and scream in pain, releasing massive blasts of energy from her body. A large crater was all that remained of the clearing they had slept in, a sole spire of earth left standing unnaturally where Melody continued to protect Chess' body. Cherri had pulled the unconscious Amber out of the direct line of fire, and was protecting the downed Maiden.

Shiro emitted another ear-splitting shriek, shaking the ground around her as another blast ripped outward from her body. In particular, a large red mass of energy shot out of her mouth and into the sky. Chess' blade faded from the air beside her.

"No! How!? How am I losing powers!?" Shiro screamed, her face contorting into a mixture of shock and anger. "It's that boy! But, how could he have managed to-" Another blast of energy shook the surrounding mud, knocking Melody, Amber, and Cherri onto their rears once more. Suddenly, the quaking subsided, and Shiro spat out a glob of blood onto the ground at her feet. The pale woman began to laugh once more. "Oh, that's... _hilarious!_ Your boyfriend just killed himself! It took some of my powers with it, but still..."

Melody, unable to maintain her rage any longer, fell to her knees in exhaustion. "Chess..." she muttered longingly. If what Shiro had said was true, then the boy the young Maiden loved was gone forever. The powerful blue light faded from her eyes. Shiro saw her opportunity, and raced forward, kicking thick mud up into the air behind her. The pale woman dodged through a wall of brambles that Cherri had summoned from afar, tackling the dazed and weakened Melody.

The young Maiden found herself pinned underneath the larger woman's weight. Shiro grinned hungrily, creating a wall of solid light around herself and Melody to block out Cherri. The Maiden of Spring's cry of anger was muffled behind the barrier.

Shiro gripped Melody's neck tightly in her hands, not even concentrating on draining the girl's life-force. Much to the pale woman's confusion, the young Maiden did not scream in fear or desperation. Instead, Melody's eyes remained locked on the tower of dirt she had been protecting so religiously.

"Chess..." Melody croaked out, tears streaming down her face. "Chess, wait... for me..."

 _I didn't die so you could just give up._

Shiro and Melody's eyes widened as Chess' voice echoed in their minds. The pale woman forced herself off the girl beneath her as dozens of bladed tendrils of shadow shot forth from the ground. Shiro coughed on her own blood as the sharpened extensions stabbed into her torso in countless locations. The shadows withdrew, stopping to hover protectively around Melody. Crimson fluid gushed forth from Shiro's wounds, leaving a rapidly increasing puddle at the woman's feet. Melody blinked twice to process what had just happened, and took a step towards Shiro. The pale woman frantically snapped her fingers and waved her hand around, trying to call upon any power she could think of in her arsenal. Melody unleashed a shower of razor-edged icicles, slicing and stabbing the pale woman as she continued to hastily try to use any power she could.

Shiro backed away as Melody grew closer and closer, scrambling backwards on her rear. Suddenly, the woman had a thought. There was a slim chance she still had a way out, thanks to one power and the absence of another. Melody stopped just out of the woman's reach, summoning an icy dagger into her hands.

"Shiro," the Maiden of Winter spat, "for the deaths of countless people, as especially Chess, I hope you enjoy your time in hell!" The knife dug into the pale woman's heart, causing her to flinch and twitch in pain before suddenly falling very still. Melody backed away, holding her head in her hands. Cherri moved to comfort her, gently embracing the younger Maiden and lightly rocking her back and forth.

"It's okay," Cherri said softly, stroking the sobbing Melody's hair, "it's over."

Melody fell into a horrified silence as she sat beside Cherri waiting for Amber to wake up. Shiro's limp and bloody form lay on the ground, the youngest Maiden's dagger still stuck in her chest. Minutes continued to tick by, slowly becoming hours. Suddenly a howl drifted through the trees nearby, causing the two women to flinch in surprise. A lone Beowolf, perhaps chased off from its pack, emerged from the forest and sniffed at Shiro's body. Then, it silently picked up the woman in its jaws and retreated back into the trees.

"She deserves worse," Melody stated furiously as tears still trickled down her cheeks. Chess' body lay next to her. Cherri had helped her retrieve the boy to keep him safe from scavengers. Shiro had not received the same treatment.

Melody's sobs began anew once more, and she buried her face in the fallen boy's chest. Cherri helplessly watched, unable to figure out what to say to the younger Maiden. Chess' eyes were closed, making him look as if he were only sleeping.

"I suppose that's it, then," Cherri said softly. "Let the monsters eat the other monsters..." Gingerly, the Maiden of Spring laid a hand on Melody's back. "Let's take him home..."

* * *

The Beowolf crouched down far away from any other creature in the forest. A freshly removed right arm rested in its mouth, as it devoured its newly acquired meal. It did not notice the rest of its meal pull the tiny icy dagger from their chest and stand up with a maddened grin. The Grimm did not even realize that its life had been ended.

Shiro stared down at the stump of her arm and the numerous other injuries that she had acquired. They were a necessary step to ensure that she was far away from the Maidens. She was back at square one, after _years_ of work. It took all the pale woman's self-control to keep herself from screaming.

No, she'd have to wait. To slowly build up her powers once again. Shiro smiled to herself. The next time she and the Maidens met, it would be their last.

* * *

"Hey, wake up."

Chess groaned, opening his eyes to find himself floating in a pure-white void. Eris stood next to him with her arms crossed. The young Bloodline looked around in confusion.

"What's going on?" he asked in befuddlement. "Why are we still here?"

"We're not still in Shiro's head, if that's what you're asking," Eris shrugged.

"You know very well what I mean," Chess narrowed his eyes.

"Well, I guess you could call this the waiting room for Bloodlines. It doesn't happen often, but sometimes we end up here."

"'Waiting room'?" Chess asked incredulously, "For what? Didn't I destroy the entirety of our Bloodline with that last attack?"

"Well..." Eris replied shrugged her shoulders again, this time adding a nonchalant shake of her head, "not really. You destroyed the Inheritor before you, and beat yourself up pretty badly, but honestly, you didn't even come close to destroying the Bloodline."

"What. Do. You. Mean," Chess said exasperatedly.

"Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Eris asked tiredly. A moment of silence passed, where the old Inheritor observed the ex-Lord's face. "I guess so. Here, let me try leading you to the answer, get those brain cells of yours working. We haven't faded into the abyss yet, which means the Bloodline is still alive and well, what does this mean?"

"There's... another Inheritor..." Chess said slowly. Suddenly he looked up at Eris in shock. "Wait, is Melody-"

"Mhmm," Eris nodded uninterestedly. "Congratulations, don't make the same idiotic mistakes your mother did." Chess suddenly looked down at his feet. "Oh, what the hell's the problem now?"

"I'm... not sure... I'm the best choice... to interact with the next Inheritor of Chaos," the young Bloodline stated uneasily.

"Well, too bad," Eris stated idly, beginning to float around the void in boredom. "The only people the fledgling Inheritor can contact early on are their parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents. Beyond that is something that can't be done until later or unless they get pushed into a really rough corner like you did. And... you erased you mother."

"What about my grandparent, then?" Chess asked.

"He's not here," Eris shook her head. "Which means he's still floating around somewhere, probably prolonging his life with cryostasis or something... Yeah, he wasn't exactly a brave one." Chess' uncomfortable look had still not faded. "Look at it this way, you know about the horrible trials you went through, you can keep the next-in-line from suffering through that. You can start the Bloodline down a legacy that actually means something again. Plus... who knows, you might get to talk with Melody again once the kid's power awakens." For several long moments, Eris hovered upside down in the void, staring expectantly at Chess. The young Bloodline closed his eyes with a sigh.

"I'm going to have so much to try and explain to them... both Melody and the child..."

"Well, you got a lot of time to figure out what to say..."

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **Well,** **there it is. After 12 straight hours of work and sleep-deprivation.** **Honestly, I feel like the chapter turned out a little lackluster, but that might be the lack of sleep talking. Let me know what you guys think.**

 **A** **s of now, I think that I liked how Legends Scatter turned out a bit better than this story, and the main issue was how massive the cast got. I'm planning on attempting to fix this a bit in future stories.**

 **The epilogue should be up in 2 to 3 days if everything goes according to plan. After that, I will be conducting a Q &A like I did at the end of Legends Scatter.**

 **EDIT: Just to clear something up for you guys, since it was brought to my attention, Melody is over eighteen years of age. Depending on where you live, that may or may not make things less awkward for you, but I want to clarify that, at least by the standards of where I live, both Chess and Melody are consenting adults.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES**

 **Thanks to Stevealio163, Cipher96, and Skaana for leaving reviews for last chapter.**


	50. Epilogue

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **EPILOGUE**_

 _Twenty years later..._

"Mother, we have to go!" a young boy yelled up the stairs, tapping his foot impatiently on the regal-blue carpets of his home.

"Do you really need to shout, Roy?" a woman with dark hair poked her head around the corner. "Good morning, by the way."

"Morning, Anise," the white-haired boy, Weiss' son, replied. "Shouldn't you be out of the house being a hero to children by now?" Anise had become something of an idol to the young masses in Atlas, a Huntress wielding powerful winds to slay Grimm around the Kingdom in droves. Somewhere along the way, people had started putting the Bloodline of Wind's face on posters, a fact she was none to pleased about, but didn't have the time to track down and stop. Roy often rejoiced in teasing her about it.

"Well, I wanted to see you off," Anise shrugged and pushed a loose strand of long dark hair out of her eyes. "It's a testament to your skill that Beacon accepted you early. They don't accept fifteen-year-old students too often. "

"I suppose," Roy tilted his head and crossed his arms. "I'm not exactly the first or the only one to get in early though... I heard there's been an increase in younger students getting brought in."

"That's true," Anise said, "but it doesn't stop you from being an impressive student on your own. Don't let the fact that there are other early entries bother you."

"Right..." the young Schnee boy sighed and ran a hand through his combed white hair. "Oh, if you're seeing me off, does that mean Aunt Winter will be as well?"

"Winter had an emergency call come in from the company," Anise shook her head sadly. "Councilor Ironwood called, so she had to run off to speak with him. It's probably something to do with a project from the Atlas Science Center. She said to wish you the best, though."

"Oh, I see. I'll be sure to thank her when-"

"Sorry, Roy!" Weiss came rushing down the stairs of the Schnee manor, finishing buttoning up her jacket. "Ready to go?"

"I was just waiting for you," Roy answered, picking up his bags from the ground at his feet.

"Are you sure you have everything?" Weiss asked, quickly fiddling with her son's hair and simple snow-white coat so they were straightened. "Clothes? Dust? Books? Toothb-"

"I have them, Mother," Roy chuckled, gently pushing his parent's hand away from his hair. He didn't want to show up at Beacon looking like some primped up prince. He had to make a good first impression. Weiss placed both her hands on her son's shoulders and smiled.

"You grew up so fast," she said softly. "It feels like it was only yesterday that I was leaving for Beacon..." A pair of joy-filled tears rolled down Weiss' cheeks. "It breaks my heart to see you go..."

"Mother, I'm going to _school_ , not my funeral," Roy laughed. "I'll be back for holidays."

"You're right, I'm being overly dramatic about this," Weiss nodded. "Oh, you have the picture and list I gave you, right?"

"I have it right here," Roy answered, pulling a small paper photograph from his pocket. The frozen image was one Weiss had taken with her team and friends when she had graduated from Beacon almost two decades ago. Written on the back was a list of the names of all the people in the picture. Weiss hadn't had the time to see them personally in years, but she'd kept in contact whenever she could.

"Alright, be sure to ask any of them for help if you need it," Weiss said with a smile. "I think we've delayed you enough at this point, let's get on our way."

* * *

"Reviewing all the students one more time, are we?"

Glynda looked up from the terminal screen in front of her as a man knocked on the door frame of the headmaster's office at Beacon Academy. The office had changed a lot since Ozpin had left. For one, Glynda had removed those infernal gears that constantly made noise.

"Mr. Greene," the headmistress nodded, returning her gaze to her screen. "I trust you've prepared your classroom?"

"As much as it's going to be," Alex smiled. "I prefer a more hands-on approach to teaching combat techniques. Written work is more of Cinder's domain."

"Well, the students you both have had over the last decade seem to appreciate your methods," Glynda stated idly. "What about our two newest instructors? Have you helped them settle in?"

"Luna and I set Ruby up in Peter's old office, and last I checked, D and Firo were helping Blake get everything together for her class. It's still a little hard to accept that Bartholomew and Peter both retired at the same time," Alex replied.

"Well, at their ages, I'd say they deserved the rest," the headmistress said, sighing and taking her eyes off the scrolling text on the screen in front of her. Time hadn't been particularly kind to either her or Alex. Both of them had acquired numerous wrinkles and grayed hair. Alex, of course, was sporting the prosthetic leg that Ryland had built for him. "Actually, now that I think of it, how are Ryland and Yang?"

"They're doing fine," Alex smiled softly. "Though we probably have them to thank for our sudden influx of early acceptances."

"Indeed," Glynda nodded, taking a moment to type something out on her keyboard, "ever since that pair took to teaching at Signal, it's been a never-ending torrent of highly skilled fighters and builders. Mr. Averin's son and your daughter were the only the first of many. We have nearly twenty early entries this year alone: Mrs. Rose's and Mrs. Belladonna's daughters and the Schnee and Arc boys, to name a few." The headmistress hit a key on her terminal before standing to stretch. She took a moment to stride over to the large window that looked out over Vale. "Remnant has changed greatly in such a short time. It's not the world I grew up in, or even the world where Miss Rose or Miss Belladonna were raised." Alex walked over to join her at the window, his prosthetic lightly thudding against the floor with every other step.

"It's far from perfect, but I'd like to think the changes were ultimately for the better," the soldier stated, gazing through the glass of the window at the horizon. Multitudes of flying aircraft darted about the city, delivering people and cargo to their destinations. Tall skyscrapers dotted the skyline, some replacing the old buildings within the original wall of Vale, while others marked the areas where the people had successfully expanded beyond their original confines. One particular building caught Alex's eye, a mid-sized structure with a unique rooftop designed to look like the petals of an open flower. "You know, Ruby's in for a rough first year once students realize who she is."

"Well, she led the mission to retake Mountain Glenn, it made sense that the Council would try to recognize her for those efforts to boost morale," Glynda replied. "Though I must agree, I imagine that she will be rather occupied once the newest arrivals begin pestering her for autographs and pictures." The headmistress checked the time on her terminal screen. "It's nearly time, I should make sure that everything is in order before the students arrive."

* * *

"Cali!" a young woman's muffled voice called, accompanied by a series of knocks on the door of the girl's room. Cali pulled her set of custom headphones off of her head, the pair of cat ears atop her head twitching. The Faunus girl hopped off her bed, and yanked the door inward. On the other side of the wooden entryway was a pair of individuals, one girl and one boy, each bearing a pair of rabbit ears. "About time," the older girl, who had snow-white hair and red eyes, said, "you're going to miss your flight at this rate."

"Sorry, Pruina," Cali scratched the back of her head. "I lost track of the time, thanks for coming to get me."

"No problem," Pruina sighed, running a hand through her white hair, pushing up her right rabbit ear, which flopped slightly. "Just grab your stuff and let's go." Cali nodded and shoved the belongings she had yet to pack hurriedly into her bag, hefting the misshapen cloth bundle onto her back.

"Morning to you too, Rus," Cali greeted the male rabbit Faunus as she exited her room and closed the door behind her.

"Mornin', Cali," Rus replied with a yawn, his voice was tinged with a hint of the same accent his father had. He scratched the back of his head, which was covered in short dark-brown hair. "Feeling nervous?"

"A little," she smiled sheepishly. "I mean, going to Beacon is a pretty big deal. Plus, I don't know too many people there..."

"You'll do fine," Rus patted her on the back. "We should let Pruina drop us off before we make her late for work."

"Vale's criminals won't catch themselves, after all," Pruina winked, tapping the Vale police force badge on her chest. She quickly helped Cali balance her bag. The trio exited the apartment, shutting the door marked "Belladonna" as they stepped out into the hallway.

* * *

Roy took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart rate as he rode aboard a large dustplane headed towards Beacon. The spires of the academy rose high into the sky ahead, casting long shadows across the ground. It was equal parts foreboding and exciting for the Schnee boy.

A series of feminine squeals assaulted the young boy's ears as a crowd of girls surrounded a pair of male students. They were both thin yet muscular boys, though only one of them seemed to be relishing in the attention. The more charismatic of the two was a tall, lanky boy with a strange mix of red and golden hair. He wore a strange set of armor that looked like it had been greatly modified. Roy was able to pick out the name "Arc" amidst the shrieks of excitement. So, he was Mrs. Nikos and Mr. Arc's son? Roy shook his head at the arrogant expression on the other boy's face.

The boy that the Arc heir had dragged along with him was getting far less attention from the girls, a fact that he appeared to be thankful for. He was a shiftier, more nervous-looking person, with a set of black hair with a single jagged orange stripe of color running through it. He wore a dark-gray coat embroidered with designs of dark clouds and lightning. Roy checked the picture in his pocket again. It was possible that he was Mrs. Valkyrie and Mr. Lie's son.

"Whatcha staring at there?" a girl's voice jolted Roy out from his own thoughts. The young Schnee turned to find his personal space being invaded by a girl with bright orange hair and a pair of fox ears poking out of her head. She was eying him curiously, and reached out a hand in greeting. "Sia Midas, nice to meet ya."

"O-oh, Roy Schnee," he answered, nervously shaking the girl's hand.

"Oh, you're Miss Weiss' son," Sia nodded. "She and Miss Winter helped my Mum and Dad out way back. Lucky me that I ran into a friend!"

"Er... Right, of course," Roy found himself being swept up into the cheerful Faunus' rhythm against his will. Still, he supposed there were worse ways to make a friend.

* * *

"I'm sorry, could you please say your name one more time?" a receptionist asked an increasingly worried girl with a long mop of hair that slowly faded from orange to yellow.

"Ri Chu Zuanshi Felstrand-Xiao Long," the girl answered for what felt like the eightieth time. "I seriously need to get on this flight, I'm going to be late!"

"One moment, let me type your name in..." the receptionist said placatingly, but quickly paused. "Er... do you think you could spell it for me?"

"Ugh..." Ri laid her head on top of her arms for a moment before reaching out with a hand to grab the side of the terminal screen. There was a quick blip as her name appeared on the screen. "There, can I go now?"

"That looks like it's all in order," the receptionist nodded, handing Ri a ticket as it popped out of a printer. "Enjoy your time at Beacon, Miss Xiao Long."

"Yeah, yeah..." Ri sighed. Simply getting to her flight had been an ordeal.

"Ri, over here!" a boy and girl called out to her, waving their arms in the air to get her attention. Ri's knee-length orange skirt bobbed lightly as she jogged over to greet the pair. The boy was a tan-skinned individual with a kind expression, though he remained widely silent. He seemed fairly normal aside from the cropped bright lime-green hair on his head. The girl wore a hooded cloak with a black exterior and a bright-red interior. An embroidered design of a rose was emblazoned on her back, as well as smaller flowers that created a trim along the garment's edges. Underneath, she wore a simple black and red combat skirt, a lucky hand-me-down from her mother.

"Hi, Kaffir. Hi, Crim," Ri greeted, giving her short cloak-wearing cousin a quick hug. "You guys ready for this?"

"Yup," Crim gave her a thumbs-up. "I'm super excited! I get to be the youngest person ever accepted into Beacon! I even beat Mom's record!"

"Only by a couple months," Kaffir reminded her softly. "You'll be fifteen yourself soon enough."

"Way to rain on my parade, Kaf," Crim stuck out her tongue mockingly at the tall boy. Kaffir dodged the friendly kick she aimed in his direction.

"Attention all passengers, flight V-382 to Beacon Academy is departing in five minutes, please board at this time," the intercom blared out loudly.

"Let's go!" Ri shouted, sprinting off with her bag in her hand, and leaving her two companions to chase after her.

* * *

"Alright, we're here," Rus smiled as he and Cali stepped off their flight. The young cat Faunus gaped at the towering academy with wide eyes. "That's about the same reaction I had my first year too." The rabbit Faunus checked the watch on his wrist. "Tell you what, Cali, why don't you head straight down to the first-year orientation, I'm going to go track down my team."

"Just head straight down the path, right?" Cali asked nervously, suddenly becoming extremely self-aware about the other students milling about the academy's landing pad.

"You'll be fine, Cali. I believe in you," Rus nodded and gave her a reassuring wave before departing in a different direction from the ocean of awe-struck first-years.

"O-okay..." Cali felt a shiver travel down her spine. She took a deep breath and quickly covered her head wither her headphones, drowning out the surrounding noise of the crowd. Music always helped calm her down and clear her mind. She steeled herself and strode off towards the main building of the academy.

Meanwhile, Rus jogged his way towards the meeting spot he had arranged with his team, a small cluster of trees that had sprung up in the middle of the grass at the Southeastern corner of the campus. The brown-haired rabbit Faunus caught sight of a girl with aquamarine hair leaning aginst one of the trees.

"Well, I figured at least you'd be here on time," Rus greeted. "Hi, Umi."

"Morning, Rus," Alex and Luna's daughter smiled with a tilt of her head. "I convinced my Mom and Dad to give me a ride when they left for Beacon last week, I've been unpacked since then."

"I see," Rus nodded. "So, how were things on Patch before you headed over?"

"Cherri was trying out growing all sorts of weird fruit in her garden again," Umi giggled. "Amber, Melody, and Agni were trying to reel her in after she grew this four-story tall tree in their yard."

"I'd imagine Azalea was just watching and shaking her head," Rus laughed. He'd always enjoyed spending time with the Maidens whenever he visited Crim, Umi, Azalea, or Ri on Patch with his parents. From what Rus understood, it had only been Melody, Amber, and Cherri on the island at first, but Agni, the new Maiden of Summer, had joined them shortly after they had arrived. Then, the number had grown to five when Azalea had been born.

"Speaking of Azalea," Umi said seriously, "last time I talked with her, it felt like something was bothering her. She told me nothing was wrong, but she looked... conflicted."

"We'll ask her again once she shows up," Rus replied, "maybe she'll be in a more open mood."

"You'd think after being friends for so long, she'd be a bit more honest with us," the aquamarine-haired girl sighed.

"Talking about our mutual aloof and angelic teammate, are we?" a second girl's voice inquired as its owner approached. The newcomer was a relatively short girl with long, wavy multicolored hair, though both Rus and Umi knew it wasn't naturally that way, despite how often the girl claimed it was. In reality, the third member of their team had only really inherited her mother's height and father's fashion sense. In testament to the latter, she was dressed in a tailed white coat with red trim and black dress pants.

"You're late, Saffron," Rus responded, tapping the watch on his wrist. The newly-arrived girl waved her hand dismissively.

" _Fashionably late_ , Rus. There's a difference," Saffron Torchwick winked as she found a spot to lean against a tree. "So, what's this about Azalea?"

"She's been distant," Umi answered, "and I mean, more than usual."

"Guess we'll have to ask her later," Saffron shrugged. "Have you two seen her?" Umi and Rus could only shake their heads.

* * *

Azalea sighed as she sat atop the roof of one of Beacon's spires. Technically, she wasn't supposed to be able to access such a high place, but no place was out of reach for her. To say that her feelings were divided were an understatement.

A steady gust of wind blew the girl's long white hair out behind her in wild streams as her eyes scanned the ground below. Twin orbs of bright amethyst hue gazed down at the small dots of students milling about the academy's vast plaza.

Azalea wasn't sure what to make of herself anymore. It felt like she had lived a lie for her entire existence. Recently, she had been getting strange flashes of memories that were not her own. In these scenes, she would watch from behind another person's eyes on a world she did not recognize as they killed countless people. Just thinking about the memories made her skin crawl.

Azalea's mother had explained to her that she was something called a "Bloodline", a power different from that of a Maiden's, but still incredibly powerful and dangerous if misused. Over the long break between the beginning and end of her third year, Azalea had spent time talking with Anise, a friend among the confusing network of people her mother knew. Like her, Anise was also a Bloodline, and the older girl had managed to outline where the power had come from and why Azalea had it.

Listening to Anise's explanation had felt... surreal. It had been a lot to take in, and at the end of the day, it had left Azalea with far more questions than answers. From what she did understand, she was in the fledgling stages of an "awakening" Bloodline. Anise had said that how Azalea's ability would develop might be far different than her own, since she had been born on Earth and "traveled" to Remnant, but Azalea's parent's had been one from each world.

Azalea closed her eyes and shook her head. It hurt to think too deeply about her developing power. The white-haired girl took her scroll out from her pocket and flipped the screen on. The device's background image showed a picture of a younger version of Azalea's mother standing beside and hugging a young man with pale hair and complexion and a piercing pair of crimson eyes. Azalea let out a depressed sigh. This single picture, snapped by her Aunt Amber twenty years ago, was the only reason she even knew what her father, Chess, had looked like. She wished he had lived to meet her, perhaps he could have helped her understand what was happening to her...

Azalea held her scroll close to her chest for a few seconds, but the small device's heat did nothing to ease the cold feeling in her heart. She could rationalize it however she wanted, but it wasn't actually the Bloodline ability she was concerned about the most, it was her family. Her mother, Melody, was a warm and kindhearted woman, but Azalea knew that she couldn't simply lay all her problems at her parent's feet. Maybe she _should_ talk to one of the others about her problems... but would they even understand? For many long minutes, Azalea sat silently on the rooftop, letting the stinging wind slash past her.

She shook her head again to clear her head. Years ago, Azalea's mother had reluctantly told her the story of how her father had died protecting her from a terrible "witch". Right at that moment, the young Azalea had decided her father had been nothing but a hero. Ever since then, she'd pursued becoming a Huntress, to try and live up to the idealized legacy she'd created.

Idly, Azalea heard the sounds of the first part of the initiation ceremony start. Professor Goodwitch's voice drifted through the air as the headmistress gave her speech inside the academy's great hall. As Azalea listened to the words, she felt her resolve harden once more, and she stood to look out over Vale and the rest of Remnant beyond.

 _"_ _Like my predecessor, I prefer to keep things brief... You all have arrived here today believing that you are the next in line to protect our world from all that threatens it. You are wrong. As of this moment, you are all woefully unaware of the dangers and horrors that await you outside the confines of our Kingdoms. There are monsters far worse than Grimm that inhabit Remnant... but that is why you are truly here._ _Here, we will train and mold each and every one of you into a warrior capable of accomplishing the arduous task of defending the lives of our friends and family across the world... Welcome to Beacon Academy."_

* * *

 **A/** **N:** **And that's it, folks. Thanks a ton for reading over the long course of this story. It has been a highly enjoyable experience to write and get the positive feedback that you all have given me. While I don't think Bloody Evolution turned out quite as well as Legends Scatter did, I still had a blast putting it to paper. Once again, thanks to all of you.**

 **Skaana, Cipher96, Welcometodalolz, Stevealio163, ItzABlueWulf, AnalPoptarts, Xenolis, Dghornick, Hirshja, Halo's Roses, and numerous guests. Thank you all for leaving reviews over the main run of this story.**

 **Now, for the Q &A. I will be allowing for one week in which you may field as many questions as you feel like via either a review or PM. The questions can pertain to ****literally anything you can think of.**

 **The Q &A chapter will be posted on March 9** **th** **.**

 **Reviews, Follows, and Favorites are always appreciated! Let me know what you think! Got a question for me? Go ahead and leave one in a review, or if you don't want to share the answer, send me a PM. I will answer as quickly as I am able.**

* * *

 **REVIEW REPLIES**

 **Cipher96: It took me a few times to get it, but yes, in a way you're right.**

 **Skaana: Nope, Cherri and Ryan never got around to admitting their mutual attraction to each other. And even if they had, remember that Bloodline abilities only pass to the first-born, and Ryan already has a daughter back on Earth.**


	51. Q&A update

**Q &A update**

* * *

 **Hi there, just realized I should probably post this quickly for anyone who missed the A/N at the end of the prologue (AKA: I need more questions!).**

 **So, in case you missed it, I am doing a Q &A to mark the completion of Bloody Evolution. You may submit as many questions as you want, though I request you stay within reason. You may post your questions as either a review or send them to me as a PM. The inquiries may be about anything.**

 **Alright, that's it for now. The actual Q &A will be posted on March 9th, so be sure to check back then! Thanks for reading!**


	52. Q&A

**RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.**

* * *

 _ **Q &A**_

 **Hi there, everybody! I won't delay this any longer than I have to, so I'll just say thanks again for reading through Bloody Evolution and get this thing going quickly!**

 **I didn't quite get as many inquiries as I had hoped, but I think I'll take that as I didn't leave too many open ends to question.**

* * *

 **Roxy Fan 4 Ever's Questions**

 **Q1:** How does the Vytal Festival work now?

 **A1:** I decided that the Vytal Festival was a mid-year event, held near the end of the first semester as opposed to the end of the year. Since the story in Bloody Evolution took place at the end of team RWBY's third year, the event had already passed.

 **Q2:** What happened to Coco?

 **A2:** While she doesn't appear in this story, it is safe to assume that she and members of her team graduated from Beacon, and were likely helping out around the world during the Order's attacks.

 **Q3:** What happened to Velvet?

 **A3:** Same answer as with Coco.

 **Q4:** Will the Order ever be stopped?

 **A4:** Eventually, yes. The Order is slowly falling apart, but as with all groups formed on heavily zealous ideals, it is a difficult thing to defeat quickly.

 **Q** **5:** Will any of the EDC return to Remnant?

 **A5:** Yes, though, as you might imagine, it's not something they can just do on a whim due to how much energy it took for them to open a gateway.

 **Q6:** What was Ryland's father's reaction to getting his note?

 **A6:** Well, even though I didn't write it down, I imagine that Ryland's father had a strange mixture of surprise, joy, and sadness. On one hand, he finds out his son is alive, so he gets some closure, but at the same time, they are still separated by dimensions.

 **Q** **7:** What happened to Salem in your series?

 **A7:** Since I severely changed Cinder's role in the series, I'm not sure exactly how Salem is going to play in right at this moment, but I know that she is still floating around in Remnant in this timeline.

* * *

 **Xenolis, Hyperion-00, and Gorgoth555's question**

 **Xenolis:** Are you going to do an arc for their children?

 **Hyperion-00:** Will there be another sequel?

 **Gorgoth555:** Will there be be a sequel for the kids shown in the epilogue?

 **A:** Yes. Once I'm ready, I plan on writing a third part to this story revolving around the children. However, the next story I have planned is not RWBY related.

* * *

 _ **Final Statements**_

Now, for one last section here at the end, with some interesting facts about Bloody Evolution, the path it ended up taking, and what's to come.

So, the story was originally intended to take a _much_ different path that it did. Originally, Chess/Chaos' story was going to revolve around the strange murder-cult that was briefly mentioned in early chapters. In the end, he was going to be brought down by Alex and the others as he emerged as a second threat besides the Order. In hindsight, it seems a little bland.

All of that changed when the sixth episode of Volume 3 of RWBY aired, and introduced the concept of the Maidens. That single new plot element completely changed the direction I wanted to take the story in, and I scrapped and rewrote the entire outline over the course of a couple days. In that span of time, Melody, Cherri, and all the rest of the large plot points that I ultimately ended up writing, were created. And you know what? I think the story turned out for the better because of it.

The events in Mistral also underwent several changes. In its first iteration, the people of Mistral were actually going to be split down the middle as its more corrupt and militaristic factions aligned themselves with the Order. This played upon the idea that the people of Mistral might be afraid of Atlas and Vale's allies among the EDC and Guardians from Legends Scatter, Charles specifically. Under Agony and Carnage's influence, these groups would launch simultaneous attacks on their neighbors. This basic concept was later recycled into the Order's full-scale invasion of Remnant. Looking back, the original concepts were kind of generic and lackluster, so I'm actually glad I ended up making the massive changes that I did.

It's been quite a long journey from where I started last year when I posted the first chapter of Legends Scatter. To say the least, the positive feedback was and is beyond anything I could have imagined. Seriously, thanks to all of you that have stuck with my work from beginning until end.

Now, things are far from over. I have not one, but three stories that have entered planning, two of which are related to Legends Scatter/Bloody Evolution, and one related to a different series, one of my favorite game sagas of all time. That third story will be the next one I write in full, but before that, I'm departing the world of FanFiction for a while to try my hand at writing something purely original and standalone. I've had an unreal amount of support and feedback from my friends, family, and all of you. Hopefully, you'll all still be keeping an eye out for me when I finally return. Until then, please continue to enjoy the two stories that I have written so far, pass them around if you think you know somebody who might appreciate them. Once again, thanks to each and every one of you that has stuck with me! I'll be seeing you all later.


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